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THE  SOPRANO.  —  A  Musical  Story. 

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CAMILLA: 


A    TALE    OF    A    VIOLIN. 


BEING  THE  AETIST  LIFE  OP 


CAMILLA  UKSO, 


33y    CIIA.III-.E8     UARNARI>. 


-,     Publisher, 

COH.  WASHINGTON  AND  BKOMFIEI.D  STREETS, 
BOSTON. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  CongresB,  in  the  year  1874,  by 

A.    K.    LOEING, 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington. 


lUx  kwcll  &  Churchill,  Printers  and  Stereotype™, 
IL'L'  Washington  Street,  Boston. 


PKEFATORY   NOTE, 


THE  intelligent  reader,  on  opening  a  new 
book,  asks  why  it  was  written,  —  what  excuse 
has  it  for  existence.  In  this  particular  case 
the  author  has  more  reasons  than  it  is  worth 
while  to  repeat.  If  there  is  any  one  thing  that 
is  attracting  the  general  attention  of  the 
American  people,  it  is  the  art  of  music.  It  is  a 
good  sign.  It  shows  we  are  getting  beyond  the 
mere  tree-felling  nnd  prairie-clearing  stages  of 
our  existence,  and  coming  to  something  better. 
This  true  "  Tale  of  a  Violin"  has  to  do  with 
music.  It  is  the  story  of  a  real  musical  life ; 
not  wholly  American,  and  therefore  instructive. 
It  has  much,  also,  to  do  with  our  people  and 
country  and  our  own  times,  and  is  therefore 


2052367 


iv  PREFATORY    NOTE. 

interesting  and  home-like.  It  has  to  do  with 
methods  of  teaching  music  in  foreign  countries  ; 
and  for  the  student  this  artist-life  is  full  of 
valuable  suggestions.  All  of  this  can  be  prop- 
erly said,  because  it  is  the  artist-life  of  a 
person  now  living  among  us.  These  are  the 
excuses  for  its  existence. 

The  facts  and  incidents  were  supplied  by 
Madam  Camilla  Urso  herself  at  such  stray 
moments  of  leisure  as  could  be  found  during  a 
busy  concert  season  at  Boston,  in  the  months 
of  January  and  February,  1874  ;  and  the  work 
was  done  at  such  spare  moments  as  the  writer 
could  find  in  the  midst  of  journalistic  cares. 
Such  events  as  could  be  noted  in  one  evening 
having  been  written  out,  they  were  read  aloud 
before  Madam  Urso  and  others,  and  when 
brought  up  to  the  exact  truth  in  every  detail, 
and  fully  approved  by  such  persons  as  were 
entitled  to  an  opinion,  were  given  to  the 
printer. 


PREFATORY    NOTE.  V 

So  the  book  came  to  be.  If  it  leads  one 
reader  to  see  the  value  of  a  life  devoted  to 
art,  —  if  it  helps  one  lonely  student  struggling 
for  a  musjcal  education,  by  the  splendid  ex- 
ample of  a  life  of  toil  and  poverty  crowned  by 
a  great  reward, — the  work  will  not  be  wholly 
vain,  nor  will  it  want  excuse  for  being. 

The  author  would  express  his  thanks  for  the 
kind  assistance  of  the  Urso  family  of  New 
York,  and  Mr.  John  S.  Dwight  and  others, 
of  Boston.  THE  AUTHOR. 

BOSTON,  September,  1874. 


CAMILLA; 


A   TALE   OF   A   VIOLIN. 


CHAPTER  I. 

BEFORE    DAWN.        , 

About  thirty  miles  from  the  sea,  on  the  River  Loire, 
in  France,  stands  the  quaint,  sleepy  old  town  of  Nantes. 
The  Erdre  and  the  Sevre,  two  smaller  streams  unite 
with  the  Loire  just  here  and  the  town  is  spread  out  in 
an  irregular  fashion  over  the  islands,  the  little  capes 
between  the  rivers,  and  the  hills  that  stand  round 
about.  The  old  part  of  the  town  is  on  the  hill-side 
and  occupies  the  two  islands  called  Frcydean  and 
Gloriette,  the  more  modern  city  has  spread  over  the 
surrounding  country  among  the  groves  of  chestnut,  and 
the  vineyards  that  fill  every  available  spot  where  the 
gnipes  can  get  a  good  look  at  the  sun  all  through  the 
long  sunny  days. 


CAMILLA  ; 

The  river  runs  swift  and  bright  through  the  town 
and  flashes  under  the  handsome  bridges  with  their  long 
rows  of  stone  arches.  In  the  river  are  boats,  ships,  and 
Bteamers,  for  the  good  people  there  spend  much  of 
their  time  in  commerce  and  in  catching  and  curing  the 
silver-white  pilchards  that  swim  in  such  great  schools 
in  the  neighboring  sea. 

The  broad  quays  that  skirt  the  river  are  planted 
•with  trees,  making  a  most  delightful  walk,  ind  near 
the  eastern  end  of  the  town  one  of  the  quays  ends  at 
what  remains  of  an  old  chateau  or  palace.  The 
houses  are  mostly  of  stone,  with  slated  roofs.  There 
are  some  fine  stores  in  the  Place  Royal  that  are  quite 
as  grand  as  those  in  Paris.  There  are  also  some  old, 
old  churches  black  with  age,  dim  and  vast  inside,  with 
statuary  on  the  outer  walls,  and  splendid  gothic 
towers  that  seem  to  blossom  all  over  with  stone  flowers 
as  they  climb  so  far  up  into  the  sky  above  the  quaint 
old  town. 

Round  about  the  town  are  gardens  and  summer 
houses,  pleasant  walks  and  drives,  vineyards,  groves 
and  all  the  things  that  go  to  make  a  charming  rural 
scene. 

In  the  Place  Graslin  is  a  fine  theatre  and  a  hand- 
some Tpwn  Hall.  Of  these  buildings  more  presently 
when  we  come  to  see  what  happened  within  them. 

In  this  old  French  town  in  June  1846  there  lived  a 
very  little  girl  just  four  years  old.  Her  home  was  on 
the  first  floor  of  a  small  house  on  a  narrow  street  not 


A  TALE  OP  A  VIOLIN.  5 

far  from  the  Place  de  la  Monnaie,  an  open  square  that 
led  into  one  of  the  principal  streets  known  as  the  Rue 
Voltaire.  The  house  was  built  in  the  usual  French 
fashion  with  a  large  arch-way  under  the  house  that  led 
into  a  court-yard  in  the  centre.  The  front  door  open- 
ed into  the  shady  archway,  and  the  window  balconies 
were  filled  with  flowering  plants  in  pots. 

Her  name  was  Camilla.  Her  father  Monsieur  Sal- 
vatore  Urso  played  the  flute  in  the  orchestra  at  the 
theatre,  or  opera  house,  and  on  Sundays  played  the  or- 
gan at  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Cross  that  stood  facing 
a  little  6quare  not  far  from  the  river. 

Her  mother  Madame  Emelie  Urso  was  a  young  and 
very  handsome  woman,  and  a  fine  singer.  She  also 
helped  her  husband  in  bis  music  lessons.  She  was 
born  in  Lisbon  in  Portugal,  but  as  she  had  come 
to  France  when  quite  young,  she  had  forgotten  her 
mother  tongue  and  now  spoke  French  and  Italian. 
This  last  may  have  been  owing  to  the  fact  that  her 
husband  was  from  Palermo,  Sicily.  With  Camilla's 
parents  lived  her  mother's  sister,  Caroline,  whom  we 
shall  know  as  aunt  Caroline.  This  made  the  Urso 
household. 

Both  of  Camilla's  parents  were  young  and  she  was 
their  oldest  child  and  only  daughter.  There  was  at 
this  time  a  baby  brother  and  later  there  were  three 
more  brothers.  The  first  four  years  of  the  little  one's 
life  were  passed  in  an  uneventful  manner,  very  much 
in  the  fashion  of  other  children  everywhere.  When 


6  CAMILLA  ; 

she  was  four  years  old  she  began  to  go  to  the  theatre 
•with  her  father.  Every  night  she  put  her  small  hand 
in  his  and  trotted  off  to  the  Place  Graslin  to  sit  with 
him  in  the  orchestra  among  the  violins  and  close  beside 
her  father's  flute.  He  was  a  rioted  player  in  those  days 
and  the  little  one  shared  his  seat,  with  the  music  book 
spread  before  her,  and  the  stage  in  full  view. 

It  was  quite  a  fine  theatre  and  many  notable  things 
took  place  there.  Operas,  both  new  and  old,  were 
given,  and  often  between  the  acts,  a  piano  was  brought 
out  and  such  famous  players  as  traveled  in  that  part  of 
France  appeared  and  showed  what  they  could  do. 
Celebrated  violinists  and  great  singers  also  appeared 
at  times.  So  it  happened  that  the  little  Camilla  almost 
lived  in  the  midst  of  an  orchestra  and  before  she  was 
five  years  old  had  heard  many  of  the  best  players  and 
singers  of  the  times. 

The  orchestra  became  almost  a  second  home  to  her. 
The  lights,  the  crowds  of  people,  the  music  were  every 
day  matters"  and  she  grew  up  to  be  quite  indifferent  to 
the  public  character  of  such  a  life.  Most  children 
would  have  soon  learned  to  go  to  sleep  in  the  midst  of 
it  all.  Camilla  never  thought  of  such  a  thing.  While 
the  music  went  on  she  was  content.  If  she  could  only 
nestle  down  in  a  corner  where  she  could  hear  those  vio- 
lins and  her  father's  flute  she  was  perfectly  happy  in  a 
demure  and  sober  fashion  that  was  infinitely  amusing  in 
such  a  very  small  girl. 

On  Sundays  and  on  fete  days  when  the  church  was 


A   TALE   OF   A  VIOLIN.  7 

open  she  went  with  her  father  to  the  church  of  the 
Holy  Cross. 

The  church  was  an  old  one  and  to  reach  the  organ 
loft  high  up  over  the  great  portal  they  had  to  climb  a 
steep  and  winding  stair  in  the  great  tower.  The  stairs 
were  worn  deep  with  footsteps  so  that  it  was  hard 
climbing  for  the  little  one.  Still,  she  always  went  with 
her  father  and  mother.  Did  he  not  play  the  tall  organ 
with  its  great  white  pipes,  and  did  her  mother  not 
sing?  She  had  a  good  seat  where  she  could  look  up 
at  the  black  arches  springing  so  high  overhead,  or 
down  on  the  people  who  seemed  so  small  in  the  church 
far  below. 

When  there  was  no  theatre  or  church  she  played 
about  her  mother's  room  or  under  the  trees  in  the  pub- 
lic gardens,  very  much  in  the  fashion  of  other  French 
girls. 

Playing  in  an  orchestra  is  not  the  road  to  wealth. 
The  pay  was  very  small,  and  even  with  the  organ  sal- 
ary and  the  music  lessons  things  did  not  prosper  very 
happily  and  the  little  Camilla  had  to  content  herself 
with  such  juvenile  joys  as  could  be  procured  without 
very  much  money.  This,  happily,  did  not  make  much 
difference.  There  was  enough  to  eat  and  pretty  good 
things  to  wear  and  no  end  of  music.  This  last  seemed 
to  quite  satisfy  her.  The  orchestra,  the  organ  and  the 
choir  afforded  her  perpetual  amusement,  and  her  life 
was  as  happy  as  that  ftf  the  most  favored  child  in  the 
town. 


8  CAMILLA  ; 

When  not  listening  to  music  she  was  very  active  and 
merry  and  displayed  an  abundant  fund  of  good  health 
and  spirits.  She  early  learned  to  talk  and  walk  and 
was  considered  an  unusually  bright  and  precocious  girl. 
Her  earliest  months  gave  a  hint  of  her  love  for  music. 
If  fretful  or  peevish  with  weariness  or  ill-health  she 
could  soon  be  pacified  by  a  gentle  song  from  her  father 
as  he  carried  her  about  in  his  arms. 

The  first  intimation  of  a  desire  to  make  music  herself 
came  when  she  was  three  years  old.  Hearing  a  hand- 
organ  play  in  the  street  while  the  family  were  at  din- 
ner she  softly  left  the  table  and  went  into  the  next 
room.  Presently  the  tune  on  the  hand-organ  was  re- 
peated on  the  piano  in  the  parlor.  Her  father  opened 
the  door  quickly  only  to  find  the  child  trying  to  hide,  as 
if  she  had  done  something  wrong. 

Before  she  could  talk  she  could  hum  over  or  sing  a 
number  of  songs,  and  at  four  years  of  age  could  repeat 
in  a  thin  piping  voice  many  of  the  songs  and  airs  sung 
by  her  mother  and  always  insisting  that  the  accompani- 
ment should  be  played  while  she  sang. 

She  did  not  go  to  school.  Hardly  any  children  in 
the  town  had  any  such  advantage.  There  were  a  few 
small  primary  schools  and  that  was  about  all  the 
chance  that  was  open  to  the  young  people  of  Nantes 
for  an  education. 

So  far  in  Camilla's  life  it  did  not  make  any  particu- 
lar difference.  Things  were  going*  on  quite  to  her  sat- 
isfaction and  she  was  perfectly  happy  even  if  she  could 
not  read  or  write. 


A  TALE   OP   A  VIOLIN. 

Thus  in  a  quiet  way  with  much  music  the  months 
had  slipped  away  till  she  was  five  years  old.  Then 
suddenly  came  the  awakening  of  a  new  life.  Some- 
thing happened  that  cast  the  rosy  glow  of  coming  day 
over  the  twilight  of  her  life.  The  morning  star  that 
shone  out  clear  and  bright  before  her  young  eyes  took 
the  shape  of  a  violin  solo  in  a  mass  called  St.  Cecilia. 
She  was  in  the  church  when  its  promise-speaking  light 
flashed  upon  her.  There  was  an  orchestra,  and  a  full 
chorus,  with  the  organ.  The  little  Camilla  now  almost 
six  years  old  sat  in  the  old  organ  loft  and  heard  it  all. 
She  listened  and  dreamed  and  wondered  and  wished 
and  wished  she  could  only  do  something  like  that  s«lo 
for  the  first  violin.  An  ordinary  piece  of  music,  in- 
differently played,  but  somehow  it  enchained  her  whole 
attention.  It  threw  wide  open  the  pearly  gates  of  a 
new  and  fairer  life. 

Many  a  time  she  had  heard  famous  players  at  the 
theatre.  They  had  never  interested  her  as  did  this 
one.  He  was  not  a  very  fine  player.  His  music  was 
not  particularly  wonderful,  but  there  was  something 
about  it  that  pleased  her  greatly.  She  had  been 
already  excited  by  the  music.  The  majestic  and  no- 
ble character  of  the  mass,  the  chorus  sounding  so  loud 
and  grand  through  the  church,  the  orchestra,  her  fa- 
ther's organ  with  its  great  thunder  tones  rolling  under 
it  all,  had  sent  the  blood  tingling  through  her  veins. 
The  great  company  kneeling  on  the  floor  so  far  below. 
The  lights  and  flowers  on  the  altar.  The  blue  clouds 
of  incense  rising  softly  on  the  air  and  the  dusky  bars  of 


10  CAMILLA  ; 

colored  light  slanting  across  the  springing  arches.  The 
scene,  the  music,  everything  affected  her.  Then  that 
song  on  the  violin.  It  was  beautiful  —  and  —  if  she 
could.  No  —  she  never,  never  could  —  and  it  was  all  a 
dream.  She  was  even  reluctant  to  leave  for  home  af- 
ter the  service  was  over  and  wanted  to  linger  in  the 
vast,  dim  church  and  dream  it  all  over  again. 

If  she  only  could  play  like  that  —  if  she  could  have 
a  real  violin,  all  her  own  and  play  on  it,  why,  that 
would  be  just  too  wonderfully  grand  and  splendid  for 
anything.  There  were  not  words  in  the  French  lan- 
guage that  could  express  the  pleasure  it  would  give 
her,,  She  could  not  speak  of  it.  It  was  too  good  to 
talk  about. 

For  several  days  she  thought  about  it  and  dreamed 
of  it  and  wondered  if  it  would  do  to  tell  her  father 
and  ask  him  to  give  her  a  violin.  At  last  the  secret 
became  unbearable  and  on  creeping  into  her  mother's 
bed  before  daylight  one  morning  for  her  regular  pet- 
ting she  ventured  to  lisp  to  her  mother  that  she  wanted 
a  violin — "  a  real  one,  to  play  upon  herself." 

The  morning  star  faded  away  quickly,  and  there 
was  only  the  dull  grey  dawn  in  the  child's  sky.  Her 
mother  treated  her  request  with  laughter  and  put  out 
the  little  Camilla's  hope  with  a  flat  refusal. 


A  TALE   OF   A   VIOLIN.  11 


CHAPTER  II. 


It  was  the  town  talk.  The  women  gathered  round 
the  fountain  in  the  Place  Royal  and  filled  their  water 
jars  and  gossiped  about  Salvatore  Urso's  silly  whim  with 
his  child.  Madame  Dubois  settled  her  cap  and  gave  it 
as  her  opinion  that  no  good  would  come  of  such  a  foolish 
thing.  Madame  Tilsit  knew  better,  if  the  child  wanted 
to  play,  why,  let  her  play.  The  priest  would  not  forbid 
it.  Madame  Perche  knew  it  was  far  better  than  teach- 
ing children  to  read.  That  would  lead  them  to  dread- 
ful infidelity,  and  what  not.  Besides,  wMfet  will  you  ? 
M.  Urso  will  do  as  he  pleases  with  the  child. 

At  its  best  Nantes  is  a  sleepy  place,  and  in  those  days 
it  was  more  narrow,  petty  and  gossipy  than  can  be 
imagined.  A  small  town  in  New  England  where  every 
mother's  daughter  can  read  is  bad  enough,  but  in  a 
compact  French  town  where  every  one  must  live  next 
door  or  next  floor  to  everybody  else  gossip  runs  wild. 
Totally  ignorant  of  books  or  any  matter  outside  of  their 
own  town,  the  people  must  needs  fall  back  on  them- 
selves and  quietly  pick  each  other  to  pieces.  Every- 
body had  heard  that  Salvatore  Urso,  the  flute  player 


12  CAMILLA  ;     " 

intended  to  teach  his  little  girl  the  violin.  Part  of  the 
town  approved  of  this  bold,  audacious  step  and  part  of 
the  town  thought  it  eminently  improper,  if  not  positive- 
ly wicked.  There  was  the  Urso  party  and  the  anti- 
Urso  party.  They  talked  and  quarrelled  over  it  for  a 
long  time  in  a  fashion  that  was  quite  as  narrow  minded 
and  petty  as  could  be  imagined  and  it  was  more  than  a 
year  before  the  excitement  subsided. 

In  the  meantime  the  little  Camilla  was  perfectly 
happy  over  her  new  violin.  The  first  refusal  had  not 
discouraged  her.  She  waited  a  few  days  and  then  re- 
peated her  request  to  her  father.  No.  It  could  not  be. 
This  did  not  seem  to  disconcert  her,  for  in  a  few  days 
she  again  asked  if  she  might  have  a  violin  and  a  teach- 
er. This  time  the  refusal  was  not  so  decided.  Again 
and  again  did  the  little  one  ask  for  a  violin — only  a  vio- 
lin— that  was  enough.  The  importunate  pleading  car- 
ried the  day  £fcid  the  father  took  the  matter  into  con- 
sideration. 

Boys  might  play  the  violin,  but  a  girl.  That  was  quite 
another  thing.  One  girl  had  been  known  to  play  the 
violin.  Mile.  Theresa  Melanello  had  played  the  violin, 
•why  not  Camilla  ?  If  she  wished  to  play  so  much  it 
must  be  that  she  had  genius.  Should  it  prove  true  she 
might  become  a  famous  artist  and  win  a  great  fortune. 
Perhaps,  even  sooner,  much  money  might  come  from 
the  child's  playing. 

Of  course  the  child  must  at  once  go  to  Paris  and  en- 
ter the  Conservatory  of  music.  Paris  was  a  long  way 


A   TALE   OF   A   VIOLIN.  13 

off.  It  would  cost  a  deal  of  money  to  get  there  and 
when  there,  it  would  cost  a  deal  more  to  live,  and  there 
was  no  way  of  earning  anything  in  Paris.  The  thea- 
tre, the  church  and  the  lessons  enabled  them  to  live 
tolerably  well  in  Nantes.  To  give  up  these  things  would 
be  simple  folly.  It  could  not  be  done.  The  prospect 
was  brilliant,  the  way  seemed  inviting,  but  it  was  not 
available.  In  his  doubt  and  perplexity  over  the  mat- 
ter M.  Urso  went  to  his  friend  and  companion  in  the 
orchestra,  Felix  Simon.  M.  Simon  played  the  first 
violin  at  the  theatre,  and  one  night  they  talked  it  over 
between  the  acts. 

If  Camilla  was  so  exceedingly  anxious  to  play  she 
must  have  some  latent  talent.  Should  she  prove  a 
genius  or  a  prodigy  it  might  be  the  means  of  bringing 
the  family  a  fortune.  Paris  offered  the  only  field  for 
instruction  and  Paris  meant  a  very  great  deal  of  money. 
With  her  present  limited  resources  the  thing  was  not 
to  be  considered  for  a  moment. 

M.  Simon  heard  it  all  patiently,  talked  with  the  child 
about  it  and  before  her  very  eyes  turned  himself  into 
an  angel  by  offering  to  teach  her  himself.  At  first  the 
family  could  not  believe  that  such  good  fortune  was 
possible.  Still,  it  was  true.  M.  Simon  would  teach 
Camilla  one  year  without  pay  if  he  might  be  allowed 
to  have  entire  control  of  her  studies.  She  was  to  fol- 
low his  instructions  in  every  thing,  she  was  to  have  no 
"pieces"  and  was  to  give  her  whole  time  to  her  lessons. 
If,  when  the  year's  instruction  was  finished,  the  child 


14  CAMILLA  ; 

really  showed  a  decided  genius  for  the  violin  it  might 
be  well  to  talk  about  Paris.  If  she  then  exhibited 
merely  a  talent  for  the  art,  the  instruction  could  be 
dropped  and  no  harm  or  serious  loss  of  time  would 
come  from  it. 

This  liberal  offer  was,  of  course,  accepted.  M.  Si- 
mon was  a  friend,  indeed.  They  could  never  repay 
him.  It  was  of  no  consequence  he  said.  If  Camilla 
proved  her  genius  it  would  be  reward  enough  to  be 
known  as  her  first  teacher. 

So  it  was  that  the  little  girl  not  quite  six  years  of 
age  had  her  darling  wish  and  took  her  beloved  violin 
under  her  arm  and  trotted  olf  to  M.  Simon's  house  at 
the  other  side  of  the  city  near  the  beautiful  park  called 
the  Cours  St.  Pierre,  where  she  had  spent  so  many 
pleasant  days  playing  under  the  trees. 

It  was  a  small  affair.  Her  arms  and  fingers  were 
too  short  for  an  instrument  of  the  ordinary  size  and  a 
little  violin  costing  ten  francs  ($2)  must  answer  every 
purpose. 

The  gossips  might  talk  and  quarrel  over  it  in  the 
steep  streets  of  the  quaint,  sleepy  old  town.  They  could 
say  what  they  pleased.  Little  did  she  care.  She  was 
going  to  learn  to  play  the  violin.  That  was  happiness 
enough.  Her  father  was  to  teach  her  the  elements  of 
music  and  Felix  Simon  was  to  show  her  how  to  play. 

First  she  must  learn  how  to  stand,  how  to  rest  on 
her  left  foot  with  the  right  partly  in  front,  then  how  to 
hold  her  violin,  how  it  should  rest  on  her  shoulder  and 


A  TALE   OF  A   VIOLIN.  15 

how  to  grasp  and  support  it.  Hold  it  perfectly  still  for 
ten  minutes.  Then  lay  it  down  for  a  few  moments' 
rest.  Take  it  up  again  and  hold  it  firm.  With  de- 
mure patience  she  bent  her  small  fingers  over  the 
strings  as  if  to  touch  a  chord.  Head  erect,  left  arm 
bent  and  brought  forward  so  that  she  could  see  her  el- 
bow under  the  violin.  Stand  perfectly  still  with  the 
right  arm  hanging  down  naturally.  •  Was  she  to  have 
no  bow  ?  No,  not  yet.  She  must  first  learn  to  sustain 
the  weight  of  the  violin,  and  accustom  her  arm  to  its 
shape.  In  silence  and  motionless  she  held  the  instrument 
for  perhaps  ten  minutes  and  then  laid  it  down  again 
till  she  had  become  rested.  This  was  the  first  lesson. 
For  two  or  three  weeks  she  did  this  and  nothing  more, 
and  at  the  end  of  that  time  she  had  acquired  sufficient 
strength  to  hold  the  violin  with  firmness  and  steadiness. 

Great  was  her  delight  when  Felix  Simon  said  she 
might  take  her  bow.  Now  rest  it  lightly  on  the  strings 
and  draw  it  down  slowly  and  steadily.  Not  a  sound  1 
What  did  that  mean  ?  Was  she  not  to  play  ?  No. 
There  was  no  rosin  on  the  bow  and  it  slipped  over  the 
strings  in  silence.  How  could  she  learn  anything  on  a 
dumb  violin  ?  How  make  music  on  such  a  discourag- 
ing thing  ? 

Most  children  would  have  given  up  in  despair.  Not 
play  at  all  ?  Nothing,  but  positions  and  dumb  motions  ? 
That  was  all.  No  music ;  not  even  finger  exercises. 
Simply,  to  learn  to  stand  properly,  to  put  the  fingers  in 
the  right  place,  and  to  make  the  right  motions  with  the 


16  CAMILLA  ; 

bow.  The  two  hour  lesson  slipped  away  quickly,  and 
the  little  one  went  home  satisfied  that  she  was  now 
renlly  making  a  good  start. 

Three  times  a  week  she  took  the  long  walk  through 
the  Rue  Voltaire,  across  the  sunny  Place  Graslin, 
where  the  theatre  stood,  past  the  handsome  stores  in 
the  Place  Royal,  over  the  little  bridge,  where  the 
Krdre  ran  throunii  the  town,  and  then  along  the  nar- 
row Rue  d'Orlearis  till  the  grey  towers  of  the  old 
Chateau  came  in  sight.  Then  to  M.  Simon's,  and  the 
lesson  on  the  dumb  violin.  Not  a  word  of  complaint; 
no  asking  for  "  little  pieces,''  after  the  silly  fashion  of 
American  children  ;  not  even  a  request  for  an  exercise. 
With  a  patience  past  belief  the  little  one  watched, 
listened,  and  tried  her  girlish  best  to  do  it  right.  The 
violin  would  become  dreadfully  heavy.  Her  poor  arms 
would  ache,  and  her  limbs  become  stiff  with  standing. 
M.  Simon  had  a  temper,  and  at  times  he  was  particular- 
ly cross,  and  said  all  sorts  of  unhappy  things  to  her. 

Tears  at  times,  and  childish  grief  over  the  dreadful 
weariness  in  her  arms,  but  with  it  all  not  one  word  ol 
remonstrance  or  complaint.  Felix  Simon  knew  every- 
thing. Her  father  knew  what  was  best. 

The  violin  would  swing  round  to  the  left,  and  she 
would  lose  sight  of  her  elbow  under  it.  There  was 
nothing  to  do  but  to  straighten  up  till  the  instrument 
stood  in  a  line  with  her  fat  little  turned  up  nose,  and 
that  elbow  was  in  sight  again.  Then,  that  right  wrist ! 
How  it  did  ache  with  the  long,  slow  motions  with  the 


A   TALE   OF   A  VIOLIN.  17 

bow.  And  her  limbs  grew  stiff  with  standing  in  one 
position  till  they  fairly  ached. 

If  the  violin  was  heavy,  she  would  not  mind  it,  and  if 
she  was  tired,  she  would  keep  her  eyes  fixed  on  the 
strings  and  see  that  the  bow  lay  flat  and  square  on 
them  as  it  went  up  and  down,  up  and  down,  from  the 
tip  to  the  handle,  over  and  over,  again  and  again. 
Whatever  happened,  she  would  keep  on.  She  was 
going  to  play-  This  was  the  way  to  learn.  She  would 
have  patience. 

At  home  the  same  thing  was  repeated.  Three  hours 
practice  every  day  with  the  dumb  violin.  And  not 
only  every  day  in  the  week,  Sundays  and  all,  but  every 
week.  Three  whole  months  passed  away,  and  then 
they  said  she  had  learned  the  positions,  and  the  right 
motions.  She  could  have  some  rosin  on  her  bow  and 
begin  to  play.  This  was  progress.  She  was  really 
getting  on.  Now  she  was  to  have  some  music.  Noth- 
ing but  the  very  dullest  kinds  of  exercises ;  still,  it  was 
music,  or  something  like  it. 

Long  sustained  notes  by  the  hour.  The  exercises 
were  all  written  out  with  a  pen  by  her  master.  Noth- 
ing but  long  slow  notes.  Not  very  interesting,  certainly. 
She  would  not  have  agreed  with  you.  To  get  a  good 
tone,  to  make  one  pure,  smooth  note  was  worth  the  try- 
ing for,  and  she  was  content. 

The  bow  hardly  moved,  so  slowly  did  she  draw  it 
up  and  down.  The  right  arm  stretched  out  to  the 
full  length,  and  then  slowly  back  again,  while  the  wrist 


18  CAMILLA  ; 

bent  slowly  and  gracefully.  If  she  obtained  nothing 
else,  she  would  have  a  &trong,  clear  tone,  and  learn  to 
make  a  grand,  full  sweep  with  her  bow.  Speed  and 
brilliancy  would  come  in  good  time.  Strength,  power, 
and  purity  of  tone  were  the  things  worth  trying  to 
reach.  She  would  have  no  feeble,  short  strokes,  but 
the  wide,  bold  movements  of  a  master  hand. 

As  the  weeks  grew  to  months,  her  fingers  and  arms 
gained  in  power  and  her  child's  violin  was  exchanged 
for  a  larger  and  finer  one,  to  her  great  joy  and  satis- 
faction. 

Slowly  and  patiently  she  crept  along.  By  day  and 
by  night  the  beloved  violin  was  ever  near  her.  Some- 
times in  the  morning,  sometimes  late  at  night,  when 
ever  her  teacher  could  find  the  time,  she  listened  to  hia 
instructions  and  played  over  the  endless  exercises. 
Seven  hours  practice  every  day.  Three  lessons  a  week; 
nothing  allowed  to  interfere.  Sleep,  eat,  a  little  ex- 
ercise in  the  open  air,  practice  and  lessons,  lessons  and 
practice.  Such  was  her  young  artist  life. 

The  lessons  gradually  increased  in  variety  and  diffi- 
culty. Scales  in  every  key,  running  passages  of  every 
imaginable  character;  and  with  it  all  not  a  single 
piece,  song,  or  pretty  melody  of  any  kind.  Ten 
months  of  finger  exercises ;  nearly  a  year  of  dry  scales. 

As  we  have  already  mentioned,  Nantes  was  very 
much  given  to  talking  about  the  little  Camilla's  studies. 
The  men  in  the  orchestra  laughed  at  Felix  Simon  and 
Salvatore  Urso  for  their  silly  experiment  with  the  child. 


A  TALE   OF   A  VIOLIN.  19 

The  idea  of  a  girl  playing  a  violin  !  It  was  too  absurd  1 
And  of  all  children,  that  mite  of  a  Camilla ;  thin,  pale, 
and  too  small  for  her  age,  she  was  the  last  one  to  think 
of  such  a  thing. 

One  day  a  famous  violinist,  Apollinaire  DeKonstki, 
now  the  director  of  the  Conservatory  of  Music,  at 
Warsaw,  visited  Nantes,  and  gave  a  concert  at  the 
theatre.  Perhaps  it  would  be  well  to  ask  him  to 
hear  the  child  play.  His  opinion  might  be  of  great 
value,  and  perhaps  it  would  silence  the  miserable  chat- 
ter in  the  town.  "  Would  DeKonstki  kindly  hear  the 
little  one  play  ?  "  Yes.  He  would,  with  pleasure. 
He  intended  to  give  a  banquet  to  some  of  his  friends 
that  evening,  and  after  the  opera,  and  when  the  supper 
was  over,  she  might  come  to  his  rooms  at  the  Hotel  de 
France.  She  sat  in  her  usual  corner  in  the  orchestra 
all  through  the  evening,  and  then,  near  midnight,  with 
her  violin  under  her  arm,  she  crossed  the  Place  Graslin 
and  called  at  the  Hotel  de  France.  The  great  artist 
was  sitting  in  the  dining  room  by  the  long  table  where 
the  banquet  had  been  given.  There  were  goblets  and 
champagne  glasses  on  the  table,  and  after  talking  about 
her  music  for  a  few  moments  he  took  a  fork,  and  gently 
tapping  on  a  wine-glass,  asked  her  what  note  that  was. 
It  was  E.  And  this  one?  A.  And  this  one?  D. 
The  next  ?  A  flat  And  the  next  ?  G.  Round  the 
table  he  marched,  fork  in  hand,  striking  the  glasses  and 
asking  their  notes.  Camilla  followed  after,  and  named 
every  tone  correctly  and  without  hesitation.  He  was 


20  CAMILLA  ; 

greatly  pleased  with  the  experiment,  and  said  he  would 
hear  her  play.  "  Only,  you  must  mind,  I  don't  like 
false  notes."  This  was  too  much,  and  she  replied  in- 
dignantly "  I  never  give  'em,  sir." 

He  laughed ;  and  then,  with  demure  seriousness,  she 
began  to  play  some  of  her  more  difficult  exercises  from 
memory.  She  was  a  bold  and  sturdy  player,  and  as- 
tonished the  master  with  the  graceful  sweep  of  her 
thin,  childish  arm.  He  complimented  her  in  a  cordial 
manner,  and  hoped  she  would  go  on  with  her  studies. 
"  Oh  !  she  would,  she  would  ;  she  meant  to  study  all  the 
time.  Some  day  she  would  learn  to  play  better  still." 
And  then  she  went  home,  well  pleased  that  the  master 
had  approved  of  the  method  of  instruction  she  had 
pursued.  Let  the  gossips  talk.  She  was  on  the  right 
road,  and  she  did  n't  care  for  them. 

This  was  the  only  time  that  Camilla  played  to  any 
one  outside  her  own  family  during  the  first  year  of  her 
musical  life.  Many  musicians  and  others  asked  to  hear 
her,  but  M.  Urso  thought  it  best  to  refuse  them.  No 
one  was  ever  allowed  to  hear  her  practice,  and  her 
musical  progress  was  kept  a  profound  secret.  Naturally 
enough,  this  only  excited  curiosity,  and  the  gossip  ran 
wilder  than  ever. 

Her  outward  life  was  unchanged.  She  appeared 
regularly  at  the  theatre  with  her  father,  and  sat  by  his 
side  through  the  performance.  The  other  players  often 
teased  her,  and  asked  her  perplexing  questions  about 
the  music.  What  note  was  that?  What  key  were 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  21 

they  playing  in  now,  and  now  and  now  ?  Every  time 
the  music  modulated  from  key  to  key,  she  followed  it, 
and  named  the  notes  and  keys  correctly,  without  hesi- 
tation. 

Then  somethieg  happened  that  made  them  think  it 
might  be  well  to  let  her  have  a  piece  to  play.  And 
such  a  splendid  piece !  Not  a  mere  child's  song  for  the 
violin,  or  a  little  dance.  Nothing  like  that.  A  grand 
concert  piece  such  as  the  Masters  played.  De  Beriot's 
famous  "  Seventh  air  varie"  A  melody  with  variations, 
by  the  great  composer  De  Beriot.  To  be  sure  it  was  not 
equal  to  some  of  the  grand  works  of  Haydn  or  Beet- 
hoven, but  for  those  days  it  was  considered  a  remark- 
able composition.  Since  the  little  Camilla  has  grown 
up  people  have  learned  more  about  violin  playing,  and 
•what  was  then  thought  to  be  a  great  piece  of  music 
would  not  now  be  considered  as  anything  very  re- 
markable. 

As  it  was,  Camilla  thought  the  piece  something  quite 
wonderful,  and  took  it  up  with  the  greatest  eagerness. 
Utterly  absorbed  in  her  work,  knowing  little  or  nothing 
of  what  was  going  on  outside  her  lessons,  she  studied 
and  practiced  day  after  day  without  a  thought  of  any- 
thing else.  The  new  piece  and  the  exercises  took  her 
whole  time  for  the  next  two  months.  That  one  '••air 
varie"  was  in  hand  every  day.  She  played  it  through 
hundreds  of  times.  Every  phrase  was  studied.  Hours 
were  spent  over  one  note.  A  week  on  a  single  page 
was  good  progress.  One  little  passage  cost  her  many  a 


22  CAMILLA  ; 

sorrowful  hour.  Somehow  she  could  not  get  it  right 
for  a  long  time.  Once  she  played  it  over  forty-seven 
times  before  her  nervous  and  irritable  master  would  let 
her  off.  Other  pupils  were  waiting.  They  could  wait. 
She  was  to  play  that  measure  just  right  if  it  took  all  day. 
It  was  useless  to  cry.  If  she  was  obstinate  and  naughty 
about  it  she  should  be  punished.  She  must  play  it 
right.  How  her  arms  ached  over  that  passage.  The 
tears  dropped  on  the  violin.  It  did  n't  do  any  good, 
and  only  made  the  master  still  more  angry.  At  last 
she  did  it  right,  played  it  over  several  times,  went  home 
and  never  played  it  wrong  again  in  her  life. 

Such  was  the  child's  artist  life  for  the  first  twelve 
months.  Outside  of  it  the  gossips  fairly  raged  and 
warred  with  their  nimble  tongues.  Salvatore  Urso's 
experiment  with  his  little  girl  was  much  talked  about. 
Some  could  not  say  too  hard  things  of  him.  Felix  Simon 
•was  blamed,  her  mother  was  blamed.  It  was  all  wrong. 
It  was  wicked  to  teach  the  child  to  play.  Others  said 
no,  let  her  try,  if  she  failed  they  would  be  well  punished 
for  their  work.  If  she  succeeded  it  would  be  a  fine 
thing.  It  was  rumored  that  the  girl  had  great  talent 
and  would  in  time  do  wonderful  things. 

In  such  a  dull,  sleepy  town  as  Nantes,  where  there 
is  nothing  in  particular  going  on,  and  where  the  people 
have  little  or  nothing  to  talk  about  outside  their  own 
petty  lives,  such  an  experiment  as  this  was  naturally 
the  subject  of  much  talk.  It  was  such  a  bold  step, 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  23 

and,  really,  there  was  nothing  else  to  talk  about.  Im- 
agine the  excitement  when  it  was  announced  that  the 
little  Camilla  would  give  a  public  performance  at  the 
Hotel  de  Ville. 

It  came  about  in  this  way.  The  Bassoon  in  the 
orchestra  died.  That  was  the  curious  way  they  ex- 
pressed it.  The  instrument  had  not  died,  but  the  man 
who  played  it.  He  left  a  widow  and  one  child,  and  no 
money.  Nobody  had  ever  heard  of  an  orchestral  player 
who  had  left  much.  The  pay  was  too  small  for  him  to 
save  anything,  and  so  the  poor  widow  was  left  without 
a  franc.  Of  course,  they  must  give  her  a  benefit  con- 
cert. M.  Urso  heard  of  it,  and  on  talking  it  over  with 
Felix  Simon  they  decided  to  prepare  Camilla  to  take 
part  in  the  charity  concert  for  the  benefit  of  the  widow 
of  the  Bassoon.  So  it  happened  that  she  took  up  the 
"air  varie"  as  her  first  piece. 

It  takes  a  long  time  to  do  anything  in  Europe. 
Here  we  would  decide  to  give  a  concert,  advertise  it, 
and  hire  the  hall  all  in  the  same  day,  and  have  it  all 
over  within  a  week.  In  Nantes  it  took  six  weeks  to 
arrange  everything,  see  who  would  offer  to  play,  and  to 
properly  announce  the  event.  This  slow  and  deliberate 
way  of  doing  things  was  an  advantage  to  Camilla  as  it 
gave  her  plenty  of  time  to  study  the  piece  and  to  com- 
mit It  to  memory  past  forgetting. 

They  collected  a  grand  orchestra.  Mdlle.  Masson, 
who  was  quite  a  fine  artist  volunteered  to  sing,  and  the 


24  CAMILLA  ; 

little  Camilla  would  play  the  famous  "Seventh  air 
varie"  from  De  Beriot. 

The  excitement  was  tremendous.  Everybody  wanted 
to  go.  The  Italian  opera  company,  the  French  opera 
company,  the  dramatic  company,  all  the  grand  families, 
every  musician  in  town,  bought  tickets.  There  was 
not  a  seat  or  standing  place  in  the  Hotel  de  Ville  to  be 
had,  and  the  Bassoon's  widow  received  a  most  remark- 
able benefit.  All  the  friends  of  the  Urso  famfiy  were 
there  to  encourage  the  child,  and  all  her  father's  enemies 
were  on  hand  ready  to  laugh  at  her  failure. 

She  was  expected  to  fail.  She  might  be  able  to 
struggle  through  the  piece  without  really  breaking 
down,  but  of  course  she  would  stand  awkwardly,  handle 
her  bow  like  a  stick,  and  do  everything  else  that  was 
bad  and  inelegant.  They  might  assert  that  she  would 
play  like  an  artist — she  could  not  do  it.  And  so  they 
waited  to  see  Salvatore  Urso's  silly  experiment  come 
to  a  wretched  end. 

How  amiable  in  them  !  We  can  forgive  them. 
There  was  nothing  else  to  talk  about  in  Nantes,  and  it 
was  certainly  a  very  bold  thing  to  bring  out  the  six 
year  old  girl  in  this  public  manner.  She  must  be  a 
truly  wonderful  child,  or  her  father  and  teacher  had 
quite  lost  their  heads. 

The  concert  began  and  went  on  very  much  as  con- 
certs do  everywhere.  The  orchestra  played  and  the 
artists  sang,  and  then  there  was  a  little  rustle  and  hush 
of  expectation  as  they  brought  in  a  box  or  platform  for 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  25 

the  child  to  stand  upon  so  that  all  could  see  her.  The 
piano  was  rolled  out  into  a  convenient  place,  and  then 
tbe  slight,  blue  eyed  girl,  gay  in  a  white  dress,  white 
satin  shoes,  and  a  pink  sash,  appeared.  They  placed 
the  dot  of  a  child,  violin  in  hand,  upon  the  raised  plat- 
form before  them  all.  Felix  Simon,  with  trembling 
fingers,'  sat  down  to  the  piano  to  play  the  accompani- 
ment. Her  father  stood  near  to  turn  the  leaves  of  the 
music  book,  though  he  was  so  nervous  and  excited  he 
hardly  knew  what  he  was  about.  In  the  audience  sat 
her  aunt  Caroline,  surrounded  by  a  few  of  her  friends, 
and  all  of  them  in  no  enviable  frame  of  mind.  Her 
mother  was  too  nervous  and  excited  to  appear,  and 
remained  in  the  ante-room. 

As  for  Camilla,  she  was  absorbed  in  that  remarkable 
pink  sash  and  those  satin  shoes.  There  was  never  any- 
thing quite  so  fine,  and  she  did  hope  all  the  people 
noticed  how  very  becoming  they  were.  That  they 
were  really  watching  her,  never  entered  her  head. 
With  perfect  self-possession  she  put  the  violin  to  her 
shoulder,  and  stood  ready  to  play.  No  awkwardness, 
ne  fear,  no  attempt  at  display ;  a  simple  girl,  with  a 
girl's  manners.  The  critics  admitted  to  themselves 
that  she  knew  how  to  hold  her  instrument,  and  could 
handle  her  bow  with  a  certain  amount  of  grace.  But, 
then,  that  was  to  be  expected.  Could  she  play  ? 

There  was  not  much  doubt  of  it.  The  tone  came, 
strong,  full,  and  true.  The  notes  came  in  exact  time, 
and  with  precision  and  certainty.  The  people  were 


26  CAMILLA  ; 

hushed  to  a  painful  silence,  as  the  child  went  steadily 
on  with  the  work.  M.  Simon  was  breathless  with  ex- 
citement, and  her  father  hardly  knew  where  he  was. 
In  his  haste,  he  turned  two  leaves  of  the  music-book 
at  once.  What  a  dreadful  disaster !  It  was  all  over 
now.  She  would  break  down  at  once,  if  the  accom- 
paniment should  falter. 

Not  much  danger ;  for  she  quietly  turneTl  her  head, 
and  in  a  hurried,  lisping,  whisper  said :  "  You  've  turned 
two  pages,  papa." 

The  whole  house  heard  every  word,  and  a  smile 
spread  over  the  company.  Little  did  she  care.  She 
went  straight  on ;  not  a  note  lost,  not  a  break  or  a  sign 
of  hesitation.  The  page  was  turned  back  without  a 
pause,  and  the  music  went  on. 

This  piece  of  music  begins  with  an  introduction  in 
adagio.  The  opening  bars  are  smooth  and  graceful, 
and  then  the  melody  becomes  more  difficult,  and  moves 
in  sixths  and  thirds.  It  ends  in  a  brilliant  cadenza, 
that  leads  to  the  theme  in  moderate  time.  This  part 
is  not  very  difficult  in  rythm,  and  is  bright  and  pleas- 
ing in  character.  The  first  variation  is  poco  piu  lento, 
and  at  once  demands  great  skill  to  execute  its  dif- 
ficult running  movements.  The  second  variation  is 
still  more  difficult,  and  abounds  in  rapid  scales  and 
open  chords.  The  third  variation  is  in  G,  and  in 
adagio  time,  and  is  full  of  trills  and  abrupt  changes 
from  high  to  low  notes.  A  long  cadenza  leads  to  the 
last  movement  in  moderate  time  and  in  the  key  of  E. 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLEN".  27 

It  finally  ends  in  an  allegro  coda  that  abounds  in  bril- 
liant and  difficult  writing. 

What  a  dreadful  uproar  they  did  make  over  the 
child.  It  seemed  as  if  they  never  would  stop  clapping 
and  cheering.  She  could  not  go,  but  must  stay  and 
bow  in  a  demure  fashion,  that  was  perfectly  captivating. 
They  did  not  expect  her  to  play  the  piece  again.  That 
was  not  the  custom  in  Nantes.  M.  Sollie,  the  leader 
of  the  orchestra,  in  the  name  of  all  the  musicians, 
offered  to  crown  her  young  head  with  a  wreath  of 
white  camelias.  The  attempt  was  amusing,  and  they 
all  laughed  and  cheered  again.  The  wreath  was  too 
big,  or  she  was  too  small,  and  it  slipped  over  her  head 
and  shoulders,  and  fell  to  the  floor,  and  there  she  stood 
in  the  middle  of  it. 

Some  enthusiastic  ladies  presented  her  with  a  tiny 
ring  for  her  finger,  and  a  handsome  bracelet ;  and  more 
wonderful  than  all,  they  brought  out  a  magnificent  Paris 
doll,  in  a  big  white  box,  and  set  her  quite  wild  with 
joy  by  presenting  it  to  her.  With  the  doll  under  one 
arm,  and  her  precious  violin  under  the  other,  she  bowed 
her  thanks  from  the  middle  of  the  wreath.  Then  they 
cheered  again,  and  laughed,  and  offered  her  flowers. 
She  was  taken  down  from  the  platform  and  led  away, 
but  they  had  her  back  again  three  times,  doll,  violin, 
and  all.  Altogether,  it  was  a  very  remarkable  ex- 
perience for  father,  mother,  teacher,  and  wonderful 
little  girl. 

Perhaps  you  think  this%>verdrawn.    This  is  a  true 


28  CAMILLA; 

story.  Here  is  an  extract  from  one  of  the  newspapers 
of  Xantes,  that  only  says  the  same  thing : 

''  Never  had  violinist  a  pose  more  exact,  firmer, 

and,  at  the  same  time,  perfectly  easy ;  never  was  bow 
guided  with  greater  precision,  than  by  this  little  Urso, 
whose  delivery  made  all  the  mothers  smile.  Listen, 
now,  to  the  Air  Variee  of  the  celebrated  Beriot ;  under 
these  fingers,  which  are  yet  ofte'i  busied  with  dressing 
a  doll,  the  instrument  gives  out  a  purity  and  sweetness 
of  tone,  with  an  expression  most  remarkable.  Every 
light  and  shade  is  observed,  and  all  the  intentions  of 
the  composer  faithfully  rendered.  Here  comes  more 
energetic  passages,  the  feeble  child  will  find  strength 
necessary,  and  the  voice  of  the  instrument  assumes  a 
fullness  of  tone  which  one  could  not  look  for  in  the 
diminutive  violin.  EG'ects  of  double  stopping,  staccato, 
rapid  appe^gios — everything  is  executed  witli  the  same' 
precision,  the  same  purity,  the  same  grace.  Repeatedly 
ntnrrupted  by  applause  and  acclamations,  she  was 
saluted  at  the  end  by  salvos  of  bravos  and  a  shower  of 
bouquets." 

As  for  the  anti-Urso  party,  they  were  completely 
demoralized  and  had  not  a  word  to  say.  Camilla  was 
a  success,  and  they  gracefully  retired  from  the  field. 


A  TALE   OF   A  VIOLIN.  29 


CHAPTER  IIL 

THE   DAY   BEGINS. 

The  next  morning  Camilla  trotted  off  to  Felix  Si- 
mon's just  as  if  nothing  had  happened.  The  Ursos 
were  too  sensible  to  be  upset  by  vanity.  The  triumph 
of  their  child  only  caused  them  to  soberly  consider 
what  was  to  be  done  next.  Camilla  must  lose  no  time. 
The  lessons  must  go  on  precisely  as  before  and  until 
matters  were  properly  arranged  her  life  would  be 
unchanged.  She  must  prepare  for  more  difficult  tasks. 
Having  proved  her  skill  she  must  now  improve  it. 
Greater  tests  and  severer  trials  were  in  store  for 
her.  She  must  go  to  Paris.  She  must  enter  the  Con- 
servatory of  Music.  But  how,  and  when  ? 

Long  and  earnestly  they  talked  over  the  matter  and 
laid  their  plans  as  best  they  could.  M.  Urso  was  a  fine 
flute  player.  Of  course,  he  could  readily  obtain  a  pl.ice 
in  some  theatre  in  Paris.  Camilla's  mother  was  a 
charming  singer  and  a  good  teacher.  She  could  give 
lessons,  and  perhaps  sing  in  some  church.  Oh !  and 
then  there.was  the  organ  !  Certainly  so  fine  an  organ- 
ist as  M.  Urso  would  soon  get  a  good  place  with  a 


80  CAMILLA  ; 

comfortable  salary.  Aunt  Caroline  must  go  too.  She 
would  keep  bouse  and  help  the  children.  None  of 
them  had  ever  been  to  Paris,  but  the  prospect  seemed 
brilliant  and  for  Camilla's  sake  they  ought  to  go  as  soon 
as  possible.  Having  decided  -to  move  they  sold  all 
their  furniture,  collected  whatever  was  due  for  music 
lessons  and  salaries  and  prepared  for  the  Bitting. 

Camilla,  her  father  and  aunt  Caroline  were  to  go 
first.  The  baby  brother  was  too  young  to  bear  the 
journey,  and  when  they  were  comfortably  settled  in 
Paris,  mother  could  follow  them.  The  journey  was  a 
slow  one.  It  was  mid-summer,  and  on  the  road  came 
the  news  that  the  cholera  was  raging  in  Paris.  It 
would  not  do  to  enter  the  city  till  cooler  weather  came. 
So  they  tarried  at  Tours  for  six  weeks  till  the  sickness 
abated. 

The  Conservatory  of  Music  stood  at  the  corner  of  the 
Rue  Faubourg — Poissoniere  and  the  Rue  Bergere  in  the 
old  part  of  the  city  of  Paris.  They  must  take-rooms 
as  near  it  as  possible  so  that  Camilla  would  not  have 
too  far  to  walk  on  stormy  days.  With  all  their  hopeful 
prospects  and  though  they  had  quite  a  large  sum  of 
ready  money  in  hand  they  took  simple  quarters  in 
a  house  on  the  Rue  St.  Nicholas  d'  Antin. 

As  soon  as  they  were  comfortably  settled  Salvatore 
Urso  went  to  the  conservatory  to  ask  if  the  little  Ca- 
milla might  be  admitted  as  a  pupil. 

The  Director  Auber,  received  him  politely  and  asked 
what  he  wanted.  "  Could  Camilla  enter  the  Conserva- 
tory ?  "  The  little  shrivelled  up  gentleman  opened  his 


A   TALE   OF  A  VIOLIN.  31 

small  eyes  as  wide  as  he  could  and  said,  in  a  squeaking 
voice,  "  Camilla  !  That's  a  girl ! "  Yes.  Camilla  was 
a  girl.  How  very  shocking  in  her.  Why  was  she  not  a 
boy  ?  A  girl.  Oh  1  No  it  couldn't  be  considered  for 
a  moment.  A  girl  enter  the  great  Conservatory  of 
Music !  Such  a  thing  had  never  been  heard  of  in  the 
whole  history  of  the  world.  The  Conservatory  was 
not  for  girls  and  they  couldn't  be  admitted. 

This  was  discouraging  and  M.  Urso  retired  from  the 
interview  not  knowing  what  to  do  next.  The  idea 
that  the  great  composer  Auber  would  utterly  refuse  to 
take  the  child  had  never  entered  his  head.  Of  course, 
with  her  undoubted  genius  the  Conservatory  would  be 
proud  to  teach  her.  What  difference  did  it  make  if 
she  did  happen  to  be  a  girl  ? 

It  made  a  great  deal  of  difference  to  the  worthy 
officers  of  the  Conservatory.  Not  one  of  them  would 
consider  her  case.  The  Secretary,  De  Beauchesne  was 
applied  to  with  more  success,  but  he  was  only  one  of 
the  officers  and  he  could  do  nothing  alone.  He  heard 
Camilla  play  and  did  everything  he  could  for  her.  He 
visited  the  family  and  was  in  every  way  a  friend. 
When  Camilla's  third  brother,  Salvatore,  was  born,  he 
stood  Godfather  to  the  child,  so  we  may  infer  that  he 
was  quite  intimate  at  the  Ursos'. 

It  would  not  do  to  give  it  up  so.  Day  after  day 
slipped  past,  the  time  grew  to  weeks  and  still  the  doors 
of  the  Conservatory  were  fast  closed  against  the  child. 
M.  Urso  called  on  Auber  several  times.  Would  he  not 
i  ntcrest  himself  in  the  child  ?  Would  he  only  hear  her 


32  CAMILLA  ; 

play  V  No.  It  was  useless.  She  was  a  girl.  She 
could  not  enter.  Why  had  M  Urso  been  so  foolish  an 
to  come  to  Paris  when  he  might  have  known  that  they 
never  took  in  girls.  Besides,  she  was  not  old  enough. 
Not  even  a  boy  could  enter  under  ten. 

People  of  influence  were  consulted,  and  in  vain.  It 
the  Directors  of  the  Conservatory  would  not  take  the 
child  it  was  no  afi'air  of  theirs.  They  could  do  noth- 
in  r  about  it.  It  did  seem  as  if  everything  was  against 
her  and  she  began  to  realize  what  a  very  unhappy  thing 
it  is  to  be  a  girl.  Still,  she  would  not  despair  nor  relax 
one  effort  to  obtain  her  darling  wish.  She  would  keep 
on  studying  just  the  same  and  all  through  the  weary 
weeks  of  waiting  she  practiced  and  studied  as  best  she 
could  under  her  father's  instruction. 

The  Winter  passed  away  and  the  Spring  came. 
It  brought  very  little  hope  with  it.  Camilla  could 
not  enter  the  Conservatory.  There  were  only  nine 
places  and  there  were  seventy-six  applicants  and  every 
one  of  them  boys.  When  they  grew  up  they  could 
play  in  the  theatres.  That  was  the  aim  of  their  lives. 
The  Conservatory  was  opened  to  teach  them,  to  pre- 
pare them  for  this  very  work.  Camilla  would  not  play 
in  an  orchestra  and,  of  course,  she  would  be  of  no 
use  to  the  country  and  it  was  idle  to  admit  her  to  the 


Persistance  finally  carried  the  day.  M.  Urso  fairly 
worried  the  learned  officers  of  the  Conservatory  into  a 
consent.  The  irritable  little  Director,  Auber,  lost  his 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  33 

temper  and  said  "  Well,  bring  the  girl.  She  is  sure  to 
fail.  We  will  hear  her  play,  but  she  cannot  enter." 

The  Ursos  were  greatly  pleased  with  this  concession. 
If  they  would  hear  Camilla  just  once  it  would  be 
enough.  They  could  hardly  refuse  to  take  a  child  of 
her  great  talents  even  if  she  did  have  the  misfortune 
to  be  a  girl. 

At  last  the  eventful  day  arrived.  The  seventy-six 
boys  and  the  one  girl  were  to  be  examined.  Her  case 
was  quite  hopeless,  they  said.  She  might  play  like  an 
angel  and  it  would  avail  nothing.  The  boys  would 
have  the  places. 

She  never  lost  her  courage,  but  with  that  quiet,  seri- 
ous manner  that  only  served  to  hide  her  sturdy  charac- 
ter, she  took  her  father's  hand  and  soberly  trotted 
through  the  streets  without  a  fear.  She  knew  what 
she  could  do,  she  had  her  piece  by  heart ;  she  meant  to 
break  into  that  Conservatory,  it  was  her  only  hope  and 
she  would  try  hard  to  do  her  very,  very  best. 

M.  Urso  was  excited  and  nervous.  How  would  it  all 
end  ?  Would  Camilla  be  admitted.  It  was  doubtful, 
still,  her  genius  might  win  the  day  in  spite  of  the  deter- 
mined opposition  that  was  raised  against  her.  As  for 
Camilla  she  clung  to  her  violin  in  stubborn  silence,  and 
patiently  waited  for  the  great  trial.  All  the  candidates 
met  in  one  room,  the  seventy-six  boys  and  their  friends 
and  the  one  girl  with  her  father. 

All  the  names  were  numbered  and  the  numbers 
placed  in  a  box  and  shaken  up.  Then,  some  one  drew 


34  CAMILLA  ; 

them  out,  one  at  a  time,  and  called  off  the  numbers. 
Camilla's  number  was  nine,  so  her  turn  cane  quite  ear- 
ly in  the  day.  This  was  fortunate,  for  she  was  fresh 
and  eager  to  begin  and  the  jury  had  not  become  weary 
with  their  task.  One  at  a  time  the  boys  were  ad- 
mitted to  the  presence  of  the  grand  jury.  Big  fellows, 
fourteen  and  fifteen  years  old,  who  had  played  before 
she  was  born.  The  case  really  looked  discouraging 
and  desperate.  Would  she  ever  get  in?  She  was 
only  seven,  and  looked  hardly  six.  Her  fingers  were 
thin  and  her  face  pale.  She  hardly  seemed  fitted  to 
compete  with  grown  up  lads,  It  did  not  deter  her  from 
trying,  and  when  her  number  was  called  she  felt  sure 
she  would  do  her  best. 

They  led  her  into  a  room  where  eight  solemn  looking 
men  sat  in  big  green-backed  chairs  round  a  large  table. 
Each  had  an  inkstand  and  pen  and  paper  and  every 
one  had  a  look  of  severe  dignity  that  was  positively 
appalling.  There  was  the  little  Auber,  the  Director, 
Kossini  the  great  composer  looking  fat  and  grand  in  his 
impressive  wig,  Carraffa  the  celebrated  composer,  Al- 
lard  the  violinist  and  lour  others  looking  equally  wise 
and  solemn. 

They  placed  her  before  the  double  quartette  of  play- 
ers who  were  to  give  the  accompaniment  and  prepared 
to  hear  her  work.  She  would  try  the  andante  and 
finale  from  the  Fourth  Concerto,  by  Rode  with  accom- 
paniment for  violin,  second,  viola,  and  violincello. 

Here  was  her  one  grand  chance.      She  must  do  her 


A  TALE  OP  A  VIOLIN.  35 

very  best,  stand  just  right,  and  remember  everything 
Felix  Simon  had  said.  Her  father  and  mother  de- 
pended upon  her. 

The  double  quartette  began  to  play  and  she  forgot 
everything  save  the  music.  The  solemn  judges  never 
spoke,  nor  made  a  sign  in  any  way  expressive  of 
pleasure  or  disappointment.  Some  of  them  scratched 
their  pens  over  the  paper  through  it  all.  Others 
looked  straight  at  her  in  a  severe  manner  that  was  per- 
fectly dreadful. 

At  last  it  was  over.  The  eight  gentlemen  never 
smiled  or  uttered  a  word  or  gave  even  a  look  that 
seemed  like  hope.  She  couldn't  guess  whether  she  had 
failed  or  won.  Somebody  led  her  back  to  her  father 
in  the  room  where  the  seventy  and  six  boys  were  still 
waiting  the  result  of  the  trial. 

Those  men  looked  so  black  and  really  it  was  all  so 
grim  and  solemn  that  she  was  depressed  and  discouraged 
and  for  six  long  hours  she  sat  in  too  room  by  her  father 
waiting  for  the  verdict  to  be  pronounced.  It  was 
eleven  o'clock  in  the  morning  when  her  turn  came  and 
it  was  not  till  five  in  the  afternoon  when  the  last  boy 
had  been  heard. 

There  was  a  tremendous  excitement  when  the  Jani- 
tor came  out  to  read  the  names  of  the  nine  successful 
ones.  Every  one  sat  perfectly  still  while  the  names 
were  pronounced.  First  a  boy's  name.  She  expected 
that  and  was  resigned.  Then  another  boy's  name  was 
given.  It  began  to  be  discouraging.  Then  one  more 


36  CAMILLA ; 

boy's  name.  Her  chances  were  slipping  away.  She 
would  not  be  taken  in.  One  more  boy's  name.  There 
were  murmurs  of  disappointment  from  the  crowd. 
Half  the  names  gone.  Poor  Camilla  was  ready  to  cry 
with  disappointment. 

Just  here  Allard,  one  of  the  jury  passed  through  the 
room  and  stopping  a  moment  said  to  Camilla's  father : 

"  The  little  Urso  is  admitted." 

Nobody  could  believe  it !  There  was  some  mistake ! 
That  mite  of  a  girl  taken  in?  The  four  remaining 
names  given  by  the  Janitor  were  hardly  heard  in  the 
uproar  and  confusion  that  broke  out.  The  boys  who 
had  failed  and  even  their  friends  were  for  mobbing  the 
child.  It  was  dreadful,  an  outrage,  perfectly  unheard 
of,  a  shame,  and  all  that.  What  right  had  a  girl  to 
come  and  take  the  place  away  from  some  good  boy 
who  could  undoubtedly  play  much  better  ?  M.  Urso 
had  used  influence  with  the  jury  and  done  many  wicked 
things  to  bring  about  this  unheard  of  result. 

M.  Urso  threw  up  his  hat  in  the  air,  behaved  in  a 
wild  and  happy  manner  and  gave  no  heed  to  the  taunts 
of  the  people.  He  gave  Camilla  a  ten  frane  gold  piece 
and  conducted  himself  in  a  startling  and  peculiar 
fashion  generally  that  would  have  astonished  his  friends 
had  they  seen  him.  As  for  Camilla  her  mind  was  ab- 
sorbed in  that  gold  piece.  She  had  never  seen  any- 
thing quite  so  magnificent.  Here  were  riches,  indeed, 
and  she  didn't  care  a  pin  for  the  silly  boys  who  stormed 
and  roared  about  her.  What  a  noise  they  did  make 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  37 

over  it !  "  Stupid  boys,  they  couldn't  play,  and  that 
was  the  reason  they  were  so  mad  about  it."  She  must 
go  home  and  show  her  prize  to  her  aunt.  How  glad 
her  mother  would  be  to  hear  of  her  success.  Hugging 
her  violin  close  she  paid  no  attention  to  the  rude  peo- 
ple in  the  room  and  silently  suffered  her  father  to  lead 
her  away. 

It  was  a  happy  day  for  the  Ursos.  To  think  that 
the  little  one  had  fairly  broken  down  the  bars  of  the 
Conservatory  and  compelled  them  to  take  her  in 
by  the  simple  strength  of  her  genius.  Soon  after  her 
mother  joined  them  from  Nantes  and  the  reunited  fam- 
ily was  indeed  a  happy  one. 

Since  that  time  several  girls  have  been  admitted  to 
the  Paris  Conservatory,  but  they  have  to  thank  Ca- 
milla, the  youngest  of  them  all,  for  clearing  the  way. 

Now  she  began  to  think  that  all  the  weary  months 
with  the  dumb  violin,  the  long  hours  of  practice,  the 
day?  and  nights  spent  with  dear,  cross,  old  Felix  Simon 
were  happily  rewarded.  With  all  the  elation  and  pride 
of  her  parents  she  seemed  only  to  be  glad,  in  a  quiet 
way,  that  she  could  now  go  on  and  learn  more  and 
more. 

Many  weeks  must  pass  before  the  long  summer  vaca- 
tion would  be  over  and  the  Fall  term  of  the  school  be- 
gin. In  the  meantime  not  a  day  was  lost.  Three  or 
four  hours  practice  every  morning  with  her  father, 
a  walk  after  dinner,  and  then  two  hours  more  practice. 
No  pieces.  Nothing  but  exercises  in  long,  alow  notes 


38  CAMILLA  ; 

to  keep  up  the  strong,  pure  tone,  and  scales  in  every 
key. 

There  is  nothing  so  successful  as  success.  Just  as 
the  vacation  was  nearly  over  the  little  Camilla  had 
another  most  flattering  offer  of  instruction.  Be  Beriot, 
whose  music  she  had  played  at  the  concert  at  Nantes, 
visited  Paris  and  gave  several  concerts.  While  he 
was  in  the  city  M.  Urso  called  upon  him  and  asked 
permission  to  bring  Camilla  to  his  room.  Yes.  He 
would  gladly  hear  her  play.  This  was  certainly  a 
great  favor  and  soon  after  she  went  to  his  hotel  and 
played  some  of  his  music  to  him.  He  was  greatly 
pleased  with  the  child  and  at  once  offered  to  take  her 
to  Brussels  where  he  lived,  and  give  her  a  complete 
musical  education  at  his  own  expense.  He  was  at  that 
time  the  first  teacher  of  the  violin  at  the  Conservatory 
of  music  at  Brussels,  a  place  that  is  now  filled  by 
Vieuxtemps,  and  he  was  certainly  a  master  of  the  vio- 
lin. He  would  do  this  freely  if  he  might  have  entire 
control  of  her  education.  She  was  not  to  appear  in 
public  till  he  was  quite  ready.  It  might  not  be  for 
many  years.  To  be  sure,  in  three  years,  by  the  time 
she  was  ten,  she  would  be  a  wonderful  player,  but  by 
waiting  longer  she  would  become  one  of  the  few  great 
violinists  of  the  world. 

This  was  indeed  generous.  They  were  thankful  and 
would  be  delighted  to  place  her  under  his  instruction 
if  they  could  go  too,  and  be  near  her  all  the  time. 
They  had  no  means  of  supporting  her  in  another  city. 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  39 

She  could  not  leave  father  and  mother.  They  already 
found  it  difficult  to  get  along.  Paris  seemed  very  diff- 
erent from  their  anticipations.  It  was  hard  to  decline 
such  a  splendid  offer,  but  it  was  harder  to  part  with 
Camilla,  and  she  could  not  go. 

Then  came  the  Conservatory.  There  were  several 
teachers  of  the  violin.  She  might  have  the  choice,  and 
decided  to  go  into  Lambert  Massart's  class.  He  was 
the  most  popular  teacher.  He  was  known  to  be  cross 
and  irritable.  His  pupils  had  a  sorry  time  of  it  but 
they  generally  became  good  artists.  She  meant  to  be 
an  artist  a»d  she  would  go  to  him.  It  was  fortunate, 
for  as  soon  as  he  heard  her  play  and  learned  something 
of  her  history  and  circumstances,  he  generously  offered 
to  give  her  private  lessons  at  his  own  house  without 
money  and  without  price. 

"  Heaven  helps  those  who  help  themselves."  Salva- 
tore  Urso  saw  his  store  of  money  melting  away  fast. 
It  was  not  easy  to  find  a  place  in  the  orchestras  in  Far- 
is.  There  was  not  a  church  in  the  city  that  did  not 
ha''e  several  applicants  waiting  for  the  position  of  organ- 
ist. Evil  days  were  beginning  to  come  upon  them. 
Nearly  nine  months  had  slipped  away  and  Camilla  had 
only  just  succeeded  in  entering  the  Conservatory.  For 
all  that,  she  had  entered  and  her  talents  had  won  a 
good  friend  in  the  great  teacher  Massart.  They  had  no 
noble  patron  to  aid  them,  there  was  no  wealthy  friend 
to  help  them  along.  Everything  depended  upon  them- 
selves and  Camilla.  She,  brave  little  girl  had  done 


40  CAMILLA  ; 

•well  and  could  now  go  on  and  fulfill  her  splendid  des- 
tiny. 

Her  first  lesson  at  the  Conservatory  opened  her  eyes 
to  the  life  that  was  before  her.  There  were  eight  boys 
in  Massart's  class  besides  herself.  At  first  the  boys 
sneered  at  her  and  resented  her  presence.  Not  con- 
tent with  this  they  tried  to  annoy  her  with  rudeness 
and  to  plague  her  with  boyish  pranks.  She  took  it  all 
patiently,  replied  to  nothing  and  clung  to  her  violin  in 
stubborn  silence. 

Massart  was  a  large,  rosy  faced  man  with  an  uncer- 
tain temper.  He  seemed  much  younger  than  he  really 
was,  and  though  at  times  he  was  dreadfully  cross  and 
savage,  he  was  at  heart  a  kind  and  generous  man. 
His  manner  of  teaching  was  peculiar.  One  pupil 
played  at  a  time  and  the  rest  looked  on  in  silence 
while  the  master  walked  up  and  down  the  room  with  a 
long  slender  stick  in  his  hand.  At  first  she  thought  it 
was  a  baton  to  beat  time  with  or  to  point  to  the  music. 
Presently  she  found  it  had  quite  Another  use.  One 
stupid  boy  did  not  take  the  proper  position.  Massart 
told  him  how  to  stand  and  the  boy  put  his  feet  in  the 
right  place.  Presently  he  changed  one  foot  and  down 
come  the  stick  with  a  snap  on  the  boy's  legs.  "  Oh  J 
M.  Massart  that  hurt"  cried  the  boy.  "I  meant  it 
should,  said  he.  Do  it  right  next  time.'* 

If,  thought  Camilla,  that  is  the  way,  I'll  remember 
it.  Somehow  it  was  not  so  easy.  Massart  gave  a 
direction  once  and  then  came  the  stick.  They  must 


A  TALE   OF   A  VIOLIN.  41 

do  it  right  once  and  for  all.  Before  she  knew  it  there 
was  a  slap  on  her  own  limbs.  It  didn't  hurt  much 
because  her  skirts  warded  off  the  blow.  As  for  the 
boys  they  had  to  take  it  sharp  and  heavy. 

Then  that  little  finger  on  her  right  hand.  It  would 
spring  up  as  she  moved  the  bow.  Massart  said  very 
pleasantly  that  she  must  keep  it  down.  She  put  it  down 
but  presently  it  flew  up  again  and  then  came  a  stinging 
blow  from  the  slender  stick  that  was  not  so  pleasant. 

That  poor  little  finger  had  a  sorry  time  of  it  before 
it  would  lay  down  properly.  Many  a  time  it  ached 
with  the  blows  of  the  switch,  and  once  she  thought  it 
was  certainly  broken.  She  was  obliged 'to  nurse  it  in 
a  cot  lor  two  days.  At  last  it  came  just  right  and  has 
never  gone  wrong  since. 

Some  days  Massart  was  in  a  terrible  passion  and 
stormed  up  and  down  the  room,  and  the  stick  danced 
about  the  boys  legs  till  the  little  Camilla  felt  sore  all 
over,  out  of  pure  sympathy.  It  made  her  very  cau- 
tious and  careful  and  as  a  natural  result  she  escaped 
much  of  the  shower  of  blows  that  the  master  offered  so 
freely.  One  day  a  stupid  boy  persisted  in  holding  his 
violin  wrong  and  suddenly  it  flew  up  to  the  ceiling  in  a 
hundred  fragments.  Poor  Camilla  fairly  cried  with 
fright  when  the  master  kicked  it  out  of  the  pupil's 
hands  and  really  had  to  take  refuge  in  sudden  tears. 
She  clung  to  her  instrument  with  might  and  main  after 
that  He  would  not  be  able  to  kick  it  away  in  that 
style  from  her  hands. 


42  CAMILLA ; 

Up  early  in  the  morning,  breakfast,  then  three  hours 
practice  at  home  with  her  father,  then  to  her  lessons 
from  two  till  four  at  the  Conservatory.  Then  home 
again  to  study  till  bed  time.  Such  was  her  day. 

Three  times  a  week,  at  all  sorts  of  hours,  as  hap- 
pened to  be  convenient,  she  went  to  Massart's  house  for 
the  extra  lessons  he  gave  her  as  a  private  pupil.  He 
was  a  famous  teacher  and  pupils  gladly  paid  him  twen- 
ty francs  an  hour  for  instruction  on  the  violin.  Ca- 
milla had  it  all  for  nothing.  It  was  the  only  gift  she 
ever  did  have.  Nobody  had  ever  given  her  money. 
They  gave  her  an  education  and  that  was  worth  more 
than  money.  She  must  work  hard  and  show  that  she 
appreciated  the  master's  kindness. 

Besides  these  lessons,  she  studied  harmony  and  prac- 
ticed solfeggio  at  the  Conservatory.  Her  every  hour 
was  taken  up  with  something.  When  her  fingers  were 
weary  with  playing  she  could  write  out  her  exercises 
in  harmony. 

So  the  days  and  weeks  slipped  away.  Busy  over 
her  studies  she  hardly  noticed  that  the  winter  had  come 
again  till  she  began  to  need  warmer  clothing.  She 
went  to  aunt  Caroline.  Mother  was  busy  on  some  em- 
broidery. It  was  strange  how  much  time  mother  gave 
to  that  work  now.  She  had  not  done  so  at  Nantes. 
Aunt  Caroline  gave  her  an  old  dress  that  had  been 
mended  several  times.  Camilla  put  it  on  without  re- 
mark. She  thought  it  odd,  that  there  was  no  new 
dress  for  the  winter  but  said  nothing.  Somehow  thingg 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  43 

seemed  to  be  changed.  Her  father  was  discouraged 
and  her  mother  never  went  out,  and  worked  hard  all 
day  at  embroidery.  What  had  happened  ?  She  could 
not  tell 


44  CAMILLA  ; 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE    WOLF    GROWLS. 

It  was  a  busy  life  for  Camilla.  As  the  winter  ad- 
vanced her  hours  of  study  increased.  More  practice 
at  home  and  more  difficult  lessons  at  the  school. 
Studies  from  Rode,  Baillot,  Fiorillo,  Viotti,  Kreutzer, 
Sporha  and  the  great  masters  of  the  violin,  were  taken 
up  in  turn.  It  was  designed  that  she  should  become 
acquainted  with  all  the  master  works  of  the  day.  In 
addition  to  regular  studies  in  scales,  finger  exercises 
and  the  like,  she  went  through  all  the  works  of  the 
masters  that  she  might  become  familiar  with  their 
style  and  learn  to  appreciate  the  best  art.  There  were 
no  trifling  songs,  no  silly  pieces  designed  to  show  how- 
fast  she  could  scrabble  through  a  great  many  notes. 
Nothing  of  this  kind  allowed.  Solid  work,  grand  con- 
certos, sonatas  and  solos  passed  under  her  hand  in  re- 
view and  in  an  artistic  atmosphere,  she  began  to  grow 
to  the  stature  of  an  artist  while  only  a  child. 

The  boys  in  the  class  soon  laid  aside  their  rude  man- 
ners and  forgot  their  jealousy  in  admiration.  Massart 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  45 

laughed  at  them  and  said  :  "  Fie !  Boys  1  The  hen  is 
beating  the  roosters."  Much  truth  was  hidden  in  the 
master's  pleasantry.  Camilla  was  rapidly  distancing 
them  all.  She  was  the  favorite  scholar.  She  had  the 
advantage  of  Massart's  private  instruction  three  times 
a  week  and  exhibited  an  aptitude  for  the  work  that  ad- 
vanced her  quickly  to  the  head  of  the  class.  This  was 
an  honor,  for  it  must  be  remembered,  that  these  boys 
had  been  selected  as  the  cream  of  all  the  candidates. 
Each  had  displayed  marked  talent  for  the  violin.  Had 
it  been  otherwise  they  would  not  have  been  in  the 
Conservatory. 

All  were  like  Camilla,  quite  poor.  Some  were  even 
supported  by  pensions  from  their  native  towns,  and 
nearly  all  of  them  afterwards  became  good  players. 
There  was  Lacham,  Leon  Regnie"r,  and  Isidor  Lotto 
who.  afterwards  became  so  famous,  and  several  others. 

Henri  Wieniawski  was  in  the  class  before  Camilla, 
but  at  the  time  was  still  about  the  school.  They  often 
met  and  there  began  a  friendship  that  has  continued 
to  this  day.  Of  Massart's  pupils,  three,  Camilla,  Lotto 
and  Wieniawski  have  become  famous  the  world  over 
and  are  among  the  great  artists  now  living. 

Besides  her  regular  studies  Massart  advised  Camilla 
to  join  a  quartette  in  order  to  perfect  herself  in  reading 
music  at  sight.  Once  a  week  she  spent  an  hour  or  two 
in  playing  with  three  others  at  the  Conservatory  and  in 
this  way  heard  much  fine  music  and  accustomed  her 


46  CAMILLA  ; 

young  eyes  to  read  the  notes  quickly  and  taught  her 
slender  fingers  to  interpret  the  music  at  command. 

Not  all  of  her  days  were  happy.  Massart  was 
dreadfully  cross  at  times.  He  would  detect  the  slight- 
est flaw  in  the  work.  Once  he  marched  a  stupid  boy 
out  of  the  room  by  the  ear  and  told  him  never  to  come 
back  again.  If  she  should  be  treated  like  that  it  would 
really  break  her  heart.  She  would  try  her  best  to  at- 
tend to  all  that  was  said  and  to  do  everything  just 
right.  Massart  might  storm  and  rage  about  the  room, 
but  it  should  not  be  from  any  neglect  on  her  part. 
Altogether  it  was  not  a  very  lovely  life.  Try  as  hard 
as  she  could  it  did  not  always  please,  and  some  days  it 
was  really  pretty  tough  for  such  a  very  small  girl. 

Another  trouble  came.  Mother  would  bend  over 
that  dreadful  embroidery  all  day  long,  and  things  did 
not  seem  so  prosperous  as  in  Nantes.  Father  was  busy 
looking  about  for  new  rooms  and  almost  before  Camilla 
was  aware  of  it  they  were  ready  for  a  change  of  resi- 
dence. 

They  could  not  afiord  the  rent  of  the  rooms  on  the 
Rue  St.  Nicholas  d'  Antin,  and  they  found  cheaper 
quarters  in  a  flat  just  under  the  roof  in  an  old  house 
on  the  Rue  Lamartine,  and  up  six  flights  of  long,  dark 
stairs. 

It  was  a  sad  change  from  their  comfortable  home  in 
sunny  Nantes.  There  was  nothing  to  be  seen  out  of 
the  windows  save  steep,  red  roofs,  the  sky,  and  sundry 


A  TALE  OP  A  VIOLIN.  47 

wild  cats  that  roamed  over  the  tiles.  The  streets  there- 
abouts were  narrow  and  crooked,  with  mean  little  side- 
walks hardly  wide  enough  for  one. 

It  was  not  the  Paris  of  to-day.  The  wide  and  hand- 
some Rue  de  La  Fayette  that  now  passes  near  the  Rue 
Lamartine  and  the  beautiful  Square  Montholon  with  its 
trees  and  gardens  was  not  in  existence  then.  Camilla 
first  knew  Paris  as  a  city  of  short,  crowded  streets 
lined  with  tall  houses  and  cheap  shops  and  crowded 
with  work  people  and  small  householders. 

They  had  only  been  settled  in  the  new  home  a  few 
weeks  when  a  greater  trouble  came  to  them.  The  wc*f 
began  to  growl  in  the  echoing  entry  way  of  the  tall 
house.  They  began  to  think  he  would  climb  the  stairs 
or  come  in  over  the  tiles  and  scare  even  the  starved 
cats  away. 

The  store  of  money  they  had  brought  from  dear,  old 
Nantes  had  melted  away  long  ago.  There  was  "  little 
to  earn  and  many  to  keep."  M.  Urso  tried  and  tried, 
but  could  get  no  permanent  position  at  any  of  the 
theatres.  There  were  scores  of  flute  players  in  the 
city.  As  for  organists,  there  were  a  dozen  for  every  or- 
gan. Once  in  a  while  he  had  a  chance  to  play  for  a 
single  Sunday,  as  a  substitute.  Occasionally  there  was 
a  party  or  other  gathering  where  a  few  francs  could  be 
earned  by  playing. 

Even  mother  had  to  help.  At  Nantes  she  had  spent 
many  a  happy  hour  in  fancy  needle-work  and  embroid- 
ery. In  Paris  the  work  was  followed  for  twelve  hours 


48  CAMILLA  ; 

a  day  that  she  might  earn  two  francs  and  so  help  keep 
that  terrible  wolf  from  coming  up  the  stairs.  Aunt 
Caroline  kept  house  and  made  the  children's  clothing 
go  as  far  as  possible.  All  helped  as  well  as  they  could. 
They  must  stay  in  Paris.  Camilla  must  keep  on  at  the 
Conservatory.  There  were  two  years  more  of  study  be- 
fore her.  She  had  put  her  hand  to  the  plow  and  could 
not  turn  back.  They  must  all  stay  and  help  her  through. 

The  Winter  passed  away  and  the  Spring  came. 
Absorbed  in  her  studies  Camilla  hardly  noticed  it  ex- 
cept to  observe  that  her  thin  clothing  was  more  com- 
fortable. It  cost  less  to  live  in  the  Summer, and  when 
in  June  her  ninth  birth-day  came  and  she  was  eight 
years  old,  they  became  more  hopeful.  Perhaps  they 
could  pull  through  after  all. 

It  was  in  vain.  With  the  Summer  came  the  dull 
times  in  business  and  their  case  grew  more  and  more 
desperate.  There  was  no  wealthy  friend  near  to  help 
them.  No  grand  Prince  stood  ready  to  pay  the  bills, 
after  the  fashion  of  the  good  Prince  who  helped  the 
young  Haydn  on  in  his  studies.  They  had  not  a  single 
rich  friend  in  the  world. 

Camilla  might  get  on  very  well  through  the  warm 
weather  with  her  present  suit.  But,  to  study  or  prac- 
tice she  must  have  good  food  and  plenty  of  it.  She 
looked  pale  and  pinched  enough,  poor  child,  and  her 
Iress  was  too  small  for  comfort.  Something  must  be 
done  or  they  would  all  starve.  They  must  take  her 
away  from  the  Conservatory  or  find  more  money. 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  49 

In  their  distress  they  applied  to  Massart  and  the 
officers  of  the  Conservatory.  The  master  was  very  an- 
gry. "What !  Go  away  for  six  months !  Give  concerts  ! 
It  was  a  shame  to  lose  so  much  time  just  when  she  was 
doing  so  well. " 

No.  If  Camilla  left  the  Conservatory  she  could  not 
come  back.  That  is  what  they  said.  And  so  it  was 
all  over  and  this  was  the  wretched  end  of  all  their  try- 
ing. It  was  hard  to  give  up.  What  could  they  do  ? 
The  Summer  term  was  almost  over.  The  summer  va- 
cation was  at  hand.  Camilla  might  give  a  few  con- 
certs during  the  vacation.  The  money  might  help 
them  along  another  winter  and  then  they  would  be  in 
.  want  again.  The  vacation  would  not  give  them  time 
to  accomplish  all  they  wished.  They  hoped  by  mak- 
ing an  extended  tour  to  earn  enough  money  to  support 
them  a  year  or  more. 

It  was  the  only  thing  to  be  done  and  after  making 
proper  representation  to  the  authorities  of  the  Conserv- 
atory permission  was  given.  Camilla  might  be  absent 
six  months  and  then  resume  her  place  in  the  classes. 
This  was  a  great  concession.  Only  Camilla's  un- 
doubted genius,  her  desire  to  study,  and  her  poverty 
caused  them  to  break  over  their  rules  in  this  matter. 
Massart  too,  gave  his  consent  and  said  he  would  re- 
sume her  instruction  without  charge  when  she  re- 
turned. 

Now  she  was  to  prove  what  she  could  do.  It  was  a 
pity  to  interrupt  her  studies.  Her  education  was  not 


50  CAMILLA  ; 

half  finished  and  she  must  appear  in  public  before  she 
was  really  ready.  If  she  succeeded  now,  how  great 
would  be  her  triumph  when  the  three  years  at  the  Con- 
servatory were  finished." 

It  was  impossible  to  break  up  the  family,  and  the  en- 
tire household  prepared  for  the  expedition.  As  they 
had  no  money  they  must  move  slowly  and  cautiously. 
Salvator  Urso  would  play  the  flute  and  accompany  Ca- 
milla on  the  piano.  Her  mother  could  sing.  That 
would  make  three  performers,  and  with  two  pieces  for 
each  they  could  give  quite  a  programme.  To  make  a 
variety  they  should  have  one  more  singer.  So  they 
hired  a  gentleman  to  join  their  Company  and  sing  buffo 
and  other  songs.  Aunt  Caroline  would  stay  in  Paris 
with  the  boys.  When  all  was  ready  Camilla  and  her 
father  and  mother  packed  up  and  started  off  in  search 
of  fame  and  money.  They  must  do  something,  and 
this  seemed  the  most  feasible  plan. 

The  first  journey  was  a  short  one  and  they  landed  at 
the  town  of  Verdun.  As  soon  as  they  were  comforta- 
bly settled  in  lodgings  Camilla  and  her  father  started 
out  to  present  their  letters  of  introduction.  These  let- 
ters were  to  wealthy  amateurs  who  might  be  interested 
in  the  child  and  her  playing. 

The  good  people  received  them  politely  and  after 
they  had  made  a  short  call  they  were  formally  invited 
to  call  soon  and  spend  the  evening  with  a  few  musical 
friends.  This  was  all  that  was  wanted.  If  the  ladies 
and  gentlemen  once  heard  Camilla  play  they  would  be 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  51 

pleased  and  perhaps  they  would  take  tickets  to  hei 
concert.  Things  move  slowly  in  France  and  several 
days,  perhaps  a  week,  would  pass  before  the  musical 
party  would  come  off.  In  the  mean  time  Camilla  lost 
not  an  hour.  From  six  to  ten  hours  a  day  she  went 
through  her  exercises  and  studied  such  pieces  as  she 
intended  to  perform  in  public.  Her  father  was  con- 
stantly with  her,  guiding  her  studies,  overlooking  hex 
practice  and  aiding  her  in  every  way  possible. 

When  the  important  evening  came  her  long,  brown 
hair  was  braided  in  two  long  braids  and  secured  with 
bows  of  blue  ribbon.  With  her  new  frock  and  simple 
manners,  large  blue  eyes  and  thin,  pale  face  she  pre- 
sented an  interesting  appearance.  A  little  too  quiet 
and  sober  for  such  a  young  girl.  She  seldom  spoke, 
and  was  reserved  and  thoughtful.  Her  life  had  not 
been  a  very  happy  one.  Had  it  not  been  for  her  in- 
tense love  for  music,  had  her  heart  not  been  bound  up 
in  her  violin  it  would  have  been  a  sad,  dull  life,  full  of 
toil  and  wearisome  labor.  In  after  years,  when  the 
showers  that  fell  so  steadily  during  her  younger  days, 
cleared  away,  the  bright,  animated  and  merry  side  of 
her  nature  came  out  and  the  demure  little  girl  became 
a  vivacious  and  sparkling  woman. 

It  was  small  wonder  that  the  two  or  three  hundred 
people  who  met  to  hear  her  play  were  delighted.  She 
seemed  so  earnest,  her  large  eyed  intensity  of  expres- 
sion, the  bold  and  striking  method  of  playing,  the  mas- 
terly sweep  of  her  bow  captivated  and  charmed  them 


52  CAMILLA  ; 

all.  .  She  gave  such  pieces  from  memory  as  she 
thought  most  pleasing  and  then  after  some  little  con- 
versation about  her  music  they  asked  if  she  would  give 
a  concert  in  Verdun.  Yes,  in  a  few  days.  Would  they 
not  take  some  tickets  ?  Oh !  with  the  greatest  pleas- 
ure. They  would  all  attend  and  bring  their  friends. 
Were  the  tickets  ready  ?  Yes.  Her  father  had  them. 
So  they  crowded  round  her  father  and  bought  some 
ten,  some  twenty,  some  fifty,  and  some  a  hundred.  So 
most  of  the  tickets  were  taken  at  once  and  success  was 
secured  in  advance. 

To  American  eyes  this  seems  a  strange  fashion.  The 
idea  of  playing  at  a  private  house  and  then  selling  the 
tickets  strikes  us  as  peculiar  and  perhaps  unpleasant. 

The  Ursos  did  not  think  so.  It  was  the  custom  of 
the  country.  It  is  the  custom  now.  All  the  great 
players  and  singers  have  taken  just  such  steps  as  this 
and  it  seems  quite  proper  and  so  no  one  thinks  ill  of 
them. 

Then  she  took  her  violin  again.  Felix  Simon  knew 
what  he  was  about  in  Nantes.  Massart's  instructions 
had  not  been  thrown  away.  Camilla  was  an  artist 
m  little.  If  she  had  not  the  expression  and  feeling 
that  comes  with  maturity,  her  playing  was  brilliant, 
strong  and  powerful.  The  tones  were  pure  and  steady 
and  technical  difficulties  seemed  to  be  of  no  conse- 
quence. She  went  through  it  all  without  effort  and  as 
easily  and  gracefully  as  can  be  imagined. 

The  audience  was  charmed  with  her  simple  manners 
and  her  wonderful  playing.  They  fairly  overwhelmed 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  53 

X 

her  with  endearments  and  attentions.  Was  there  any 
thing  they  could  do  to  gratify  such  a  dear  little  girl? 
One  offered  her  one  thing,  another  something  else. 
She  had  a  delightful  lunch  with  her  new  friends  and  at 
last  went  home  Inden  with  bon  bons  and  presents. 

Then  she  must  give  a  concert.  They  would  ask  all 
their  friends  and  really  it  would  be  quite  a  grand  affair. 
Of  course  all  this  took  time.  There  was  the  permis- 
sion of  the  Mayor  to  be  obtained,  and  the  hall  to  be 
engaged,  the  tickets  to  be  prepared,  and  posters  and- 
advertisements  to  be  sent  out  and  tickets  to  be  sold 
among  the  rich  families  of  the  town. 

Her  father  must  attend  to  it  all.  There  was  no  one 
to  help  and  he  had  to  attend  to  everything. 

In  a  few  days  the  concert  came  off  at  one  of  the 
small  halls  in  the  town.  There  was  "  a  good  house," 
as  they  say.  Camilla  played  the  violin  while  her  father 
played  the  accompaniment  on  the  piano.  Her  mother 
sang  and  the  buffo  singer  gave  some  of  his  songs. 
The  great  attraction  was  the  pale  little  one  with  the 
long  braids.  How  she  raced  through  the  rapid  passa- 
ges and  drew  her  wonderful  bow  with  a  great  sweep 
that  made  the  tones  roll  out  full  and  grand.  Then  those 
strange,  airy  harmonies  made  by  pressing  one  finger 
firmly  on  a  string  to  give  one  note  and  then  lightly 
touching  the  same  string  a  fifth  above  so  that  the  lower 
note  was  partially  obscured  by  the  note  above  it. 
Double  stopping  they  call  it.  We  know  it  as  harmon- 
ics. With  either  name  it  is  difficult  enough  for  even 
a  man's  hand.  It  waa  small  wonder  that  the  people 


54  CAMILLA ; 

cheered  and  cried  bravo !  bravo !  and  threw  flowers 
on  tlfe  stage  and  actually  filled  her  arms  with  comfits 
and  bon  bons.  Verdun  was  a  great  place  for  sugared 
sweets  and  candied  fruits  and  they  thought  they  were 
doing  quite  the  proper  thing  by  presenting  some  to 
her. 

The  next  day  they  counted  the  money,  paid  all  the 
few  small  bills  and  found  that  they  had  four  hundred 
francs  left.  Really  !  Things  were  looking  up.  Their 
prospects  were  improving.  Camilla  was  certainly  a 
great  success.  Collecting  such  letters  of  introduction 
as  they  could  obtain,  they  packed  up  and  started 
for  the  next  town  on  their  programme.  "Where  was 
the  wolf  now  ?  Nobody  knew.  Camilla  had  driven 
him  away  with  her  violin. 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  55 


CHAPTER  V. 

A  GOOD  FIGHT. 

Then  a  short  journey  to  Bar  le  Due.  As  soon  as 
they  were  comfortably  settled  in  the  new  place  the 
whole  ceremony  was  repeated.  The  good  friends  they 
had  found  at  Verdun  gave  them  letters  of  introduction 
to  the  best  people  and  in  about  three  weeks,  they  had 
made  their  calls,  played  at  some  of  the  grand  houses 
and  given  a  concert  with  the  same  interesting  result  in 
the  way  of  good,  sound  francs.  How  they  treasured 
up  the  little  Camilla's  winnings.  Every  franc  must  be 
saved  and  they  lived  as  cheaply  and  simply  as  possible  at 
all  times.  Every  centime  would  be  needed  to  carry  Ca- 
milla through  the  two  more  years  at  the  Conservatory. 

Then  to  Metz  and  Strasburg  and  to  the  Rhine.  It 
was  to  be  a  grand  tour.  The  Germans  must  hear  Ca- 
milla play.  They  were  true  lovers  of  music.  If  they 
were  pleased  it  would  be  a  great  triumph  and  the  con- 
certs would  be  very  successful.  From  Strasburg  they 
went  to  Manheim,  then  up  the  Rhine  to  Bale  in  Swit- 
zerland. Then  back  again  to  Baden  Baden,  and  to 
Heidelberg. 


56  CAMILLA ; 

What  a  glorious  time  she  had.  There  were  rides 
and  walks  among  the  beautiful  hills  just  as  the  grapes 
were  ripe.  Her  spirits  became  more  animated  and 
childlike  and  her  color  returned.  It  was  like  some 
strange  dream.  Mother,  too  was  happier,  and  as  for 
father  he  had  never  been  so  gay  and  merry  since  they 
left  Nantes.  How  that  pile  of  francs  had  grown. 
From  hundreds  it  had  become  thousands. 

At  Heidelberg  she  had  a  ride  on  the  donkeys  and 
visited  the  ruined  castle  high  on  the  hill.  It  seemed  a 
kind  of  continual  picnic.  It  was  no  longer  a  weari- 
ness to  practice.  The  weeks  flew  away  so  happily  that 
they  hardly  noticed  that  the  Fall  was  near.  They 
must  return  to  Paris  soon.  The  vacation  was  over 
long  ago.  Still,  the  handsome  pile  of  francs  was  not 
large  enough  yet,  and  they  kept  on  to  Calsrue  and 
Homburg.  Every  where  it  was  the  same.  Presents 
-of  every  imaginable  kind,  flowers  and  jewelry  were 
showered  upon  her.  At  one  place  they  gave  her  more 
preserves  and  sugared  fruits  than  she  could  eat  in 
a  month,  and  a  German  Countess  at  Manheim  was  so 
charmed  with  the  child  that  she  took  off  a  beautiful 
pearl  cross  and  chain  and  put  it  round  Camilla's  neck. 
It  was  the  cross  the  lady  had  when  she  was  confirmed 
at  Church  and  she  valued  it  highly  on  that  account. 
Camilla  kept  the  beautiful  present  for  a  long  time  till 
it  was  lost  in  New  York,  as  we  shall  see  later  in  the 
story. 

The  tour  was  really  not  a  very  extensive  one.     A 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  57 

part  of  Eastern  France  and  a  part  of  the  Rhine  coun- 
try was  all  she  saw,  but  it  took  seven  long  months  to 
get  through  with  it.  Were  she  to  undertake  the  tour 
now  it  could  be  done  in  two  weeks.  They  had  no  ac- 
tive agent  traveling  ahead  to  hire  the  halls  and  secure 
the  rooms  at  the  hotels.  There  were  no  advertising  fa- 
cilities, and  no  telegraphs.  M.  Urso  had  to  do  every- 
thing himself.  The  ceremonious  calls  upon  the  great 
families  took  a  great  deal  of  time.  The  subscription 
list  and  the  sale  of  tickets  could  not  be  started  till  they 
were  fairly  settled  in  the  town.  Three  weeks  in  one 
city  was  hardly  enough  time  to  prepare  for  one  concert 
and  during  it  all  Camilla's  practice  could  not  be  neg- 
lected for  a  single  day.  Her  father  was  always  pres- 
ent watching  and  guiding  her,  and,  in  fact  keeping  her 
steadily  to  her  work. 

To  off-set  all  this,  it  cost  them  very  little  to  live, 
and  their  concert  expenses  were  light.  The  rent  of 
the  halls  was  low,  and  they  had  very  few  advertising 
bills  to  pay.  This  made  it  easy  to  make  ^e  tour  prof- 
itable, and  when  at  last  they  returned  to  Paris  they 
found  they  had  5,000  francs  on  hand,  more  money  than 
they  had  ever  dreamed  about  in  sleepy  old  Nantes. 
Th;s  represented  Camilla's  first  earnings.  Aunt  Caro- 
line had  received  part  of  the  money  to  help  along  the 
little  home  in  the  Rue  Lamartine  and  when  they  came 
back  she  stood  ready  to  welcome  them  at  the  top  of 
the  six  flights  of  stairs.  The  cats  were  all  there  on  the 
red  roofs,  but  that  wolf  had  run  away  in  dismay.  It  is 


58  CAMILLA  ; 

thought  he  did  not  appreciate  music.  Camilla  was 
sure  he  did  not  like  her  style  of  bowing. 

The  very  next  day  after  the  journey  was  over  Ca- 
milla returned  to  the  little  room  in  the  corner  of  the 
Conservatory  and  took  her  place  by  the  window  that 
looked  out  into  the  court-yard  where  the  school  bell 
hung  in  its  tower,  where  she  could  see  fat  and  rosy  Mas- 
sart  tramp  up  and  down  the  floor  and  scold  the  boys  in 
his  dear,  cross  old  fashion.  That  stick  flourished  about 
as  lively  as  ever.  Her  own  fingers  and  limbs  felt  it  once, 
in  a  while  when  she  became  careless.  It  was  not  often 
now.  She  would  be  nine  next  Spring.  She  was  get- 
ting to  be  a  big  girl  and  knew  too  much  to  be  caught 
napping  by  Massart.  The  "  German  Tour "  as  she 
proudly  called  it  had  sharpened  her  wits  and  made  her 
even  more  attentive  and  careful.  She  took  up  her 
studies  in  solfeggio  and  harmony  and  settled  down  into 
the  routine  of  hard,  persistent  study  with  renewed  vig- 
or. Those  boys  were  far  ahead  of  her.  Never  mind. 
She  would  catch  them  presently. 

When  we  see  Madam  Urso  play  to-day  we  think  h,er 
steadiness  of  posture  and  grace  of  playing  very  easy. 
None  can  count  the  days,  months  and  years  of  trial 
and  labor  she  spent  to  attain  such  skill  and  grace.  In 
playing  it  may  be  noticed  that  she  stands  very  firm 
and  erect .  on  her  left  foot,  with  the  right  slightly  ad- 
vanced in  front.  Even  so  simple  a  matter  as  this  cost 
weeks  of  painful  effort  and  many  a  bitter  tear.  They 
put  her  right  foot  into  a  china  saucer  in  such  a  way  that 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  59 

the  slightest  weight  upon  it  would  crush  it.  She  broke 
several  before  she  fully  acquired  the  proper  position. 
It  cost  tears  and  china  ware,  at  first.  Now  it  is  as 
nothing. 

The  playing  appears  to  be  easy  enough  to  spectators. 
Her  fingers  fly  over  the  strings  with  unerring  certainty. 
It  seems  as  if  it  would  be  impossible  to  go  wrong.  We 
look  on  the  strings  to  see  if  there  are  finger  prints,  or 
other  marks  to  show  where  thp  strings  should  be 
touched.  There  is  nothing.  On  the  piano  each  key  is 
plainly  marked  out.  Knowing  the  notes  and  the  keys 
we  may  in  time  touch  them  with  absolute  certainty. 
On  the  violin,  the  fingers  must  find  the  right  place 
without  assistance.  The  notes  must  be  found,  as  it 
were,  in  the  dark.  Only  by  learning  just  how  far  to 
stretch  the  fingers  and  by  the  employment  of  years  and 
years  of  practice  can  any  degree  of  skill  be  obtained. 
.  In  spite  of  all  this,  here  was  our  nine  year  old  Ca- 
milla getting  ready  to  compete  for  the  prizes  at  the  end 
of  her  second  year.  It  was  not  to  be  a  mere  concert 
where  each  pupil  was  to  come  out  and  play  such  pieces 
as  they  liked  before  a  mixed  audience.  There  was  a 
long  difficult  concerto,  to  be  learned,  and  each  was  to 
play  the  same  piece  before  the  severe  and  critical  jury, 
and  before  such  musicians  and  others  as  chose  to  attend. 
It  was  held  in  the  theatre  attached  to  the  Conservatory. 
Besides  that,  there  were  three  difficult  questions  to  an- 
swer in  harmony,  and  a  piece  of  music  written  in  a  most 
extraordinary  manner  was  to  be  sung  at  first  sight. 


60  CAMILLA ; 

In  this  country  we  now  write  vocal  music  in  two 
clefs,  known  as  the  bass  and  treble  clefs.  This  makes 
it  easy  to  read  and  any  singer  after  having  mastered 
them  both  can  get  along  without  much  difficulty. 
Some  of  the  more  lazy  ones  think  it  hard  to  sing 
in  even  one  and  are  quite  upset  if  they  try  to  sing  in 
any,  save  their  own.  What  would  the  poor  alto  who 
"  didn't  know  anything  about  the  bass  clefs  "  think  of 
singing  at  first  sight  in  seven  different  clefs.  Camilla's 
trial  piece  at  the  examination  in  solfeggio  was  a  song 
that  began  in  one  clef,  went  a  few  "bars  and  then 
jumped  into  another,  then  into  another  and  back  again, 
then  another  and  so  on  in  a  manner  perfectly  bewilder- 
ing and  distracting.  She  had  never  seen  it  before  and 
went  through  it  without  missing  a  note.  The  result, 
was  that  she  carried  off  the  first  diploma,  and  the  jury 
and  audience  were  greatly  pleased. 

Then  they  placed  a  large  basket  before  her  in  which 
were  hundreds  of  bits  of  folded  paper.  She  was  to 
take  out  three,  open  them,  read  them  aloud  and  give  a 
verbal  answer  to  each.  The  first  question  was  some- 
thing about  the  relative  minor  of  a  certain  major  key 
and  its  signature.  That  was  easy  enough  and  she 
answered  at  once  without  hesitation.  The  next  ques- 
tion nearly  took  her  breath  away.  It  was  some  deep 
and  perplexing  thing  about  the  construction  of  a  chord. 
Many  a  music  teacher  would  be  puzzled  to  answer  it. 
She  thought  some  wicked  person  had  put  it  in  the  bas- 
ket just  to  annoy  her.  Nobody  could  answer  such  a 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  61 

tremendously  hard  question.  She  paused  perplexed. 
It  would  not  do  to  fail,  and  calling  up  her  sturdy  will 
she  compelled  herself  to  think  it  out.  In  a  moment  a 
bright  gleam  passed  over  her  face  and  she  began  to 
answer  the  question  slowly.  Feeling  more  confident, 
she  went  on  explaining  the  matter,  and  suddenly  went 
wrong.  She  caught  herself  at  once  and  in  a  flash  cor- 
rected it  and  gave  the  right  answer. 

This  was  against  the  rules.  No  pupil  was  allowed  to 
correct  himself.  He  must  have  it  right  the  first  time. 
She  was  greatly  frightened,  and  thought  she  had  made 
a  failure.  She  was  so  earnest  and  anxious  over  it,  and 
moreover  she  was  a  girl,  the  first  girl  on  the  violin 
ever  admitted  to  the  Conservatory,  and  with  a  smile 
and  a  word  of  encouragement  the  jury  forgave  her 
and  accepted  her  answer.  The  third  question  was 
quickly  answered  and  the  great  trial  was  successfully 
finished.  This  trial  of  skill,  or  examination  as  we 
should  call  it,  lasted  several  days.  One  day  she  was 
examined  in  harmony.  The  singing  came  another  day, 
the  violin  concerto  another,  and  the  playing  at  sight  in 
a  string  quartette  on  still  another.  The  poor  girl  was 
quite  worn  out  and  thankful  that  the  summer  vacation 
came  soon  after.  At  our  Conservatories  and  music 
schools  the  pupils  take  the  vacation  as  a  time  of  rest 
and  enjoyment.  They  say  it  is  too  hot  to  work.  It  is 
quite  as  warm  in  Paris,  and  Camilla  was  as  weary  as 
ever  they  could  be  at  such  a  time.  Still  she  rose  with 
the  sun,  practiced  all  the  forenoon  with  her  lather, 


62  CAMILLA  ; 

•went  to  Massart's  house  three  times  a  week,  and  with 
the  exception  of  the  hours  spent  at  the  Conservatory, 
her  time  passed  exactly  as  if  there  was  no  vacation  at 
all.  Work,  work,  work,  all  the  time.  Just  enough  ex- 
ercise to  keep  her  in  good  health.  Only  a  little  play, 
now  and  then.  Hours  and  hours  of  practice  day  after 
day.  Such  was  her  life.  A  great  and  splendid  reward 
was  in  view.  By  and  by  she  would  win  every  thing. 
When  her  day  of  success  came  she  could  rest  and  en- 
joy herself.  Could  she?  Did  she  ever  rest?  We 
shall  see. 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  63 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE   ROSE   OF   MOXTHOLON. 

The  last  year  at  the  Conservatory  was  drawing  to 
an  end.  It  was  early  summer  and  Camilla  was  just 
ten  years  old.  The  long  and  difficult  course  of  study 
that  many  a  boy  was  proud  to  finish  when  he  was  nine- 
teen, was  almost  over  before  she  had  entered  her  teens. 
She  was  paler  and  thiner  than  ever  and  felt  glad  the 
warm  weather  had  come,  for  really,  her  frock  was 
not  thick  enough  for  comfort.  That  terrible  wolf  had 
again  howled  in  the  dark  echoing  entry  way  of  the  house 
on  the  Rue  Lamartine.  The  goodly  pile  of  franca 
she  had  won  on  the  German  tour  had  melted  wholly 
away.  Mother  had  taken  up  that  dreary  embroidery 
again.  There  were  four  boys  to  be  clothed  and  fed 
now,  and  Salvatore  Urso  found  it  hard  work  to  get 
along. 

Camilla  absorbed  in  her  music  hardly  knew  how  se- 
rious the  case  had  become.  Many  a  time  she  came 
home  from  her  lessons  to  find  that  the  family  had  been 


64  CAMILLA  ; 

to  dinner,  and  that  something  nice  and  warm  had  been 
saved  for  her.  They  said  they  had  dined,  but  in  truth 
they  had  only  eaten  a  cheap  lunch  of  fried  pota- 
toes or  something  a  few  sous  would  buy  that  Camilla 
might  have  a  better  dinner.  She  must  be  maintained 
in  good  health,  and  no  sacrifice  on  their  part  was  too 
great  When  they  had  but  little  they  took  the  best 
for  her  and  concealed  from  her  their  own  scanty  meals. 
She  was  an  exceedingly  affectionate  child  and  would 
have  shared  her  best  with  her  mother  had  she  known 
what  they  silently  suffered  for  her  sake. 

Her  father  was  constantly  with  her  when  she  prac- 
ticed. Many  an  hour  he  stood  by  her  side  and  held 
her  left  arm  to  help  sustain  the  weight  of  her  weary 
violin.  At  times  he  let  her  sit  on  a  stool  though  the 
good  student  always  stands  with  the  violin.  She  was  a 
growing  girl  and  something  of  the  rules  must  be  relaxed. 
At  the  same  time  her  father  was  a  strict  master  and 
never  suffered  her  to  slight  or  neglect  her  practice. 
During  the  three  years  at  the  Conservatory  he  never 
was  absent  while  she  practiced  though  it  averaged  ten 
hours  a  day  during  the  last  year.  During  it  all  Ca- 
milla never  once  refused  to  go  to  her  lessons  and  in 
company  with  her  aunt  or  father  daily  walked  to  the 
Conservatory  and  to  Massart's  house. 

Could  they  go  on  much  longer?  Their  case  was 
getting  positively  desperate.  They  had  nearly  strug- 
gled through  the  three  years.  It  was  almost  over  and 
Camilla  was  well  nigh  ready  to  try  her  fortune  in  the 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  65 

world.  She  must  play  before  some  of  the  wealthy  am- 
ateur musicians  and  show  her  talents.  No  money 
would  come  of  it  but  it  might  serve  as  an  intro- 
duction to  public  life  and  bring  her  into  notice  so  that 
when  she  did  leave  the  Conservatory  she  would  not  be 
wholly  unknown. 

One  day  there  came  an  invitation  to  spend  the  even- 
ing at  some  private  house  and  she  prepared  to  go.  She 
had  passably  good  clothing  and  was,  as  far  as  appear- 
ance was  concerned,  ready  to  go.  Then  came  a  dread- 
ful discovery.  The  wolf  was  at  the  door.  He  had 
come  up  the  stairs  and  was  scratching  and  snarling  at 
the  threshold.  What  were  they  to  do  ?  There  was 
not  a  thing  to  eat  in  the  house.  The  very  last  franc 
had  been  spent.  There  was  nothing  left  but  that  pearl 
cross  the  Countess  had  given  her  at  Manhiem.  They 
might  sell  it.  No  they  could  not  and  would  not.  They 
would  go  supperless  to  bed  first.  But  Camilla,  poor 
child,  was  going  out.  Perhaps  she  would  have  a  sup- 
per at  the  friend's  house  where  she  was  to  play.  And 
perhaps  not.  Besides,  she  had  eaten  nothing  since 
morning.  She  might  faint  before  the  supper  hour 
came.  She  could  not  give  it  up  and  go  to  bed  as  her 
brothers  had  done.  In  their  perplexity  and  trouble 
Aunt  Caroline  came  with  the  joyful  news  that  she  had 
found  a  sou  in  an  old  coat  pocket.  Only  a  sou — a  cop- 
per cent.  Camilla  dressed  hastily,  and  with  her  father 
set  out  for  the  private  concert  where  she  was  to  play. 
As  they  walked  through  the  streets  they  stopped 


66  CAMILLA  ; 

at  one  of  the  little  cooking  stands  that  are  so  common 
in  Paris.  "With  the  one  cent  they  bought  a  paper  bag 
holding  perhaps  a  pint  of  fried  potatoes.  M.  Urso 
carried  the  violin  and  Camilla  took  the  bag  and  ate 
her  supper  as  she  passed  along.  Franklin's  breakfast 
of  rolls  in  the  streets  of  Philadelphia  was  a  royal  feast 
beside  Camilla's  supper.  Using  her  handkerchief  for 
a  napkin  she  finished  the  meal  and  throwing  the  paper 
bag  away  entered  the  grand  mansion  as  the  honored 
little  guest  and  artist.  As  for  her  father  he  had  no 
supper  at  all. 

It  is  always  darkest  just  before  dawn.  They 
struggled  through  a  few  more  days  of  bitter  poverty 
and  then  came  a  sudden  burst  of  wealth  and  good  for- 
tune that  fairly  took  their  breath  away.  It  seemed  as 
if  a  shower  of  gold  actually  rained  down  upon  them 
and  a  new  and  most  remarkable  experience  came  in 
the  history  of  the  Urso  family. 

The  last  term  at  the  Conservatory  was  nearly  fin- 
ished. She  must  give  her  whole  energies  to  her  stud- 
ies. The  Directors  had  given  out  the  piece  of  music 
that  was  to  be  played  by  the  pupils  at  the  examination 
in  July  and  she  must  go  to  work  upon  it.  Eight  weeks 
was  little  enough  time  to  give  to  such  a  piece  of  music. 
It  was  the  24th  Concerto  in  B  Minor  for  violin  by  Viot- 
to.  Besides  being  a  work  of  great  difficulty  it  began 
with  one  short  note  followed  by  a  longer  one.  They 
must  all  get  that  place  right,  if  nothing  else.  The  jury 
would  not  forgive  them  if  they  slighted  the  first  note  in 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  67 

the  piece.  How  they  did  try  over  that  one  passage. 
The  two  notes  echoed  from  every  room  in  the  Conserva- 
tory all  day  long.  The  boys  tried  it  over  at  every 
spare  moment  and  it  did  seem  to  Camilla  as  it  those 
were  the  only  notes  in  the  piece.  For  herself  she 
practiced  it  carefully  and  very  slowly,  feeling  sure  it 
was  better  to  trust  to  her  own  coolness  and  steadiness 
at  the  trial  than  to  go  over  it  so  many  times  as  to  be- 
come too  confident. 

About  a  year  before  this  a  man,  who  said  he  came 
from  America,  had  appeared  at  the  Conservatory  to  see 
Massart  in  relation  to  some  music  lessons  he  wished 
given  to  his  sons.  For  convenience  we  will  call  this 
man  the  American.  He  is  now  dead  and  as  his  share 
in  this  story  is  not  the  most  happy  this  title  may 
take  the  place  of  his  real  name.  His  two  sons  played 
the  violin  and  the  father  wished  them  placed  under 
Massart's  instruction.  Camilla  came  in  during  the  in- 
terview and  quietly  waited  till  it  was  over.  The  two 
boys  played  for  the  master  and  Camilla  sat  near  by  in 
silence.  Then  Massart  asked  her  to  play.  She  did  so 
and  the  American  was  so  much  pleased  that  he  asked 
her  name  and  residence.  A  day  or  two  after  that  he 
called  upon  Camilla's  father  and  proposed  to  him  that 
Camilla  should  visit  the  United  States  as  soon  as  her 
lessons  were  finished  at  the  Conservatory.  He  thought 
she  would  attract  great  attention  there  and  offered  to 
take,  her  to  America  on  a  concert  tour.  This  was  all 
very  fine  but  Camilla  could  not  go  now  and  so  the  matter 


68  CAMILLA  ; 

was  dropped.  When  the  term  was  over  there  would 
be  time  enough  to  talk  about  it.  So  the  American 
went  away  and  the  Ursos  thought  no  more  about  it. 

Suddenly  in  the  Summer  of  the  last  year  and  just 
before  the  term  was  finished  he  reappeared  and  re- 
peated his  offer  to  take  Camilla  to  America.  She  was 
to  go  with  him  for  three  years  and  was  to  play  at  con- 
certs in  all  the  principal  cities  of  the  country. 

In  consideration  of  which  he  would  pay  M.  Urso  the 
sum  of  thirty  thousand  francs  the  first  year,  sixty 
thousand  francs  the  second  year  and  one  hundred  thou- 
sand francs  the  third  year.  Traveling  and  hotel  ex- 
penses for  three  people  were  to  be  paid  and  altogether 
it  was  a  flattering  offer. 

Thirty  thousand  francs  in  one  year!  It  was  too 
wonderful!  They  had  never  dreamed  of  so  much 
money  !  Sixty  thousand  francs  !  A  hundred  thousand 
francs !  Such  sums  were  too  vast  to  be  taken  in  at  one 
sitting.  They  must  consider  the  matter.  After  much 
discussion  it  was  at  last  arranged  that  when  her  lessons 
at  the  Conservatory  were  finished  Camilla  and  her  fa- 
ther should  start  for  America. 

During  the  last  Spring  in  Paris  they  changed  their 
residence*and  moved  into  more  cheerful  and  comforta- 
ble rooms  on  the  Rue  Montholon,  a  street  that  makes  a 
continuation  of  the  Rue  Lamartine.  Here  they  had 
front  rooms  in  the  attic  and  in  the  sixth  story.  There 
was  a  broad  balcony  at  the  foot  of  the  steep  mansard 
roof  and  here  Camilla's  mother  arranged  a  pretty  row 


A  TALE  OP  A  VIOLIN.  69 

of  plants  in  pots  so  that  the  iron  railing  in  front  was 
half  hid  by  flowers.  Poor  as  they  were  they  always 
managed  to  have  it  as  bright  and  pretty  about  them  as 
possible.  With  all  their  poverty  they  always  contrived 
to  look  neat  and  pleasant.  M.  Urso  arranged  a  tempo- 
rary shed  on  the  balcony  for  a  kitchen  and  here  in  the 
bright  sunshine  high  up  in  the  air  above  the  noisy  street 
Camilla  used  to  watch  the  birds  and  the  clouds  and 
peep  through  the  geranium  leaves  down  into  the  street 
so  far  below.  This  change  of  scene  was  a  great  ad- 
vantage to  her.  It  brightened  her  spirits  and  gave  her 
thin  cheeks  a  bit  of  color.  As  she  went  through  the 
streets  with  her  violin,  and  gay  in  a  new  chip  hat  and 
blue  ribbon  the  people  turned  to  look  at  the  demure 
eyes  and  the  half  smilling  mouth  and  said  :  "  She  is 
the  Rose  of  Montholon." 

The  Rose  could  not  be  suffered  to  bloom  alone  in 
the  alley-ways  and  lanes  of  the  old  city  and  invitations 
to  play  at  the  houses  of  some  the  grand  families  came 
in.  One  of  these  was  to  the  residence  of  Madam  Ar- 
mengo  and  another  was  the  residence  of  Napoleon  then 
known  as  the  Prince  President.  At  Madam  Armen- 
go's  Camilla  attracted  great  attention  and  won  many 
friends.  Her  playing  was  a  surprise  to  all  and  the 
company  could  hardly  find  words  to  express  their  pleas- 
ure and  admiration. 

Then  came  an  invitation  from  the  Prince  President 
to  take  part  at  a  grand  concert  at  the  Palace  de  Elysde 
before  the  Prince  and  the  great  dignitaries  of  the 


70  CAMILLA  ; 

court.  There  were  Generals  and  Marshals,  Princesses 
and  grand  Court  ladies,  artists  and  gentlemen  with 
decorations  and  many  other  notables.  A  place  on  the 
programme  was  assigned  to  the  little  Rose  of  Montholon 
and  in  her  usual  simple  and  natural  manner  she  played 
her  best  before  the  honorable  company.  They  paid  her 
the  best  of  attention  and  she  quickly  captured  ail  their 
hearts  by  her  childish  manners  and  wonderful  playing. 
They  had  never  heard  any  such  playing  from  one  so 
young  and  they  crowded  around  her  to  thank  her  and 
congratulate  her  upon  her  skill. 

The  Prince  Napoleon  came  and  spoke  to  her,  praised 
her  music  and  asked  what  she  intended  to  do  next. 
Go  to  America.  Ah !  No.  That  was  not  right.  Such 
talent  as  hers  must  not  leave  France.  M  Urso  replied 
that  the  contract  had  already  been  signed  with  the 
American  and  they  must  go  with  him. 

"  Puisqu  'il  en  est  ainsi,  depechez  vous  a  aller  gagner 
de  1'  argent,  et  revenez  vite  en  France.  A  votre  re- 
tour  ne  manquez  pas  de  vcnir  me  voir." 

These  were  the  very  words  of  the  Prince  in  reply. 
They  thanked  him  heartily  and  then  the  party  broke 
up  and  they  went  back  to  their  home  on  the  Rue  Mon- 
tholon. 

Then  came  the  final  examination  at  the  Conserva- 
tory. It  did  not  differ  materially  from  the  one  de- 
scribed before  except  that  it  was  much  more  difficult. 
The  questions  in  harmony  were  more  searching.  The 
piece  of  music  to  be  sung  at  first  sight  was  more 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN  71 

perplexing  than  ever  before  and  the  new  quartette  for 
strings  in  which  she  was  to  take  the  first  violin  far  ex- 
ceeded the  others  in  technical  difficulties.  Each  day  of 
the  trial  was  a  triumph  for  her.  She  received  the  first 
prize  and  never  were  a  family  more  pleased  with  the 
success  of  a  child.  It  was  a  great  day  for  the  Ursos 
and  it  seemed  as  if  all  their  labor  and  sacrifice  was  to 
be  splendidly  rewarded.  Camilla  had  never  faultered 
through  it  all,  and  now  that  it  was  over  the  three  years 
of  study  seemed  as  nothing.  It  had  been  a  hard  strug- 
gle but  she  did  not  care.  It  was  happily  over  and 
soon  she  would  go  to  America  and  gratify  her  father 
by  winning  a  great  store  of  money.  Then  ste  would 
return  to  Paris  and  to  dear  old  Massart.  In  spite  of 
his  severe  discipline  he  was  a  good  man  at  heart  and  she 
loved  him  dearly.  She  owed  everything  to  him  and 
ehe  could  never  half  pay  him  for  his  generosity  in  help- 
ing her  in  her  days  of  poverty.  He  was  very  unwill- 
ing to  part  with  his  favorite  pupil  and  wanted  her  to 
stay  in  Para  and  continue  her  lessons.  It  would  cost 
her  nothing.  He  would  be  only  too  glad  to  teach  her. 
It  could  not  be.  She  must  fulfill  her  contract  with  the 
American. 

America.  Where  was  it?  So  far,  so  far  away. 
Would  she  ever  come  back  from  such  a  distant  coun- 
try ?  It  seemed  in  those  days  a  very  serious  undertak- 
ing and  their  friends  could  hardly  believe  them  when 
they  said  they  were  gc'ng  to  New  York 

The  Director  Auber  was  also  very  sorry  to  part  with 


72  CAMILLA  ; 

her  and  kindly  wrote  a  letter  of  introduction  for  Ler. 
The  following  is  a  copy  :  — 

PARIS,  August  12th,  1852. 

"  Mademoiselle  Camilla  Urso  is  a  young  pupil  of 
the  National  Conservatory  of  Music.  Although  still 
at  a  very  tender  age,  she  has  obtained  brilliant  success 
at  several  concerts  in  Paris,  and  above  all  at  the  Con- 
servatory, where  the  jury  have  decreed  to  her  by  elec- 
tion the  6rst  prize  at  the  competition  for  the  prizes  of 
the  year. 

"  Learning  that  she  is  soon  to  depart  for  the  United 
States,  I  am  delighted  to  state  the  happy  qualities 
which  ought  to  ensure  a  noble  artistic  career. 

"  The  Americans  have  already  nobly  proved  that 
they  are  not  only  just  appreciators  of  the  fine  arts,  es- 
pecially of  music,  but  that  they  know  as  well  how  to  re- 
compense with  generosity  the  merits  of  the  celebrated 
artists  who  are  heard  in  the  hospitable  towns  of  their 
rich  and  beautiful  country." 

AUBER. 

Member  of  the  Institute  and  Director  of  the  Conserva- 
tory." 

Finally  everything  was  arranged.  Aunt  Caroline 
was  to  go  with  Camilla  while  her  mother  was  to  remain 
in  Paris  with  the  boys.  The  three  years  would  soon 
be  over  and  then  they  would  all  be  reunited  and  could 
live  happily  together  once  more. 

The  American  was  liberal  in  everything.  He  sup- 
plied them  with  money  for  their  outfit,  and  it  really 
seemed  as  if  their  days  of  trial  and  poverty  were  at  an 
end.  There  was  nothing  to  do,  but  to  accept  and  enjoy 
the  great  reward  that  had  crowned  their  exertions. 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  73 

The  new  dresses,  the  parting  with  dear  old  Massart 
and  the  anticipation  of  tbe  voyage  absorbed  Camil- 
la's thoughts,  and  the  sailing  day  arrived  almost  too 
soon.  The  trunks  were  packed  and  the  carriage  came 
to  the  door.  It  was  a  sad  parting  for  fond  mother 
and  affectionate  little  girl.  She  cried  bitterly  and 
would  hardly  consent  to  leave  her  mother's  arms.  As 
the  carriage  drove  away  she  looked  back  up  at  the 
lofty  balcony  where  the  geraniums  put  their  red  eyes 
through  the  railing  and  watched  her  mother's  hand- 
kerchief fluttering  so  high  in  the  air  till  a  turn  in  the 
crooked  street  shut  her  dear  home  from  view.  Two 
weeks  later,  on  the  15th  of  September,  a  little  girl, 
her  father  and  aunt  and  a  violin  landed  from  the 
Steamship  Humboldt  in  New  York  and  a  new  life  be- 
gan for  Camilla. 

It  was  like  a  dream.  They  couldn't  believe  it,  nor 
understand  it.  It  seemed  as  if  they  lived  in  a  palace. 
They  had  three  parlors  furnished  in  the  most  costly 
and  elegant  style.  There  were  yellow  satin  chairs  in 
one  room  and  blue  in  the  next.  Obsequious  servants 
waited  upon  their  every  want.  Camilla's  room  looked 
out  on  Broadway  and  the  view  from  the  window  af- 
forded her  unending  amusement.  She  hardly  dared  to 
sit  in  the  satin  chairs.  They  were  almost  too  fine  for 
use.  Such  splendor  and  luxury  was  really  oppressive. 
And  the  people !  What  a  strange  language  they  spoke. 
She  was  sure  she  could  never  understand  it.  She  lis- 
tened and  tried  and  only  succeeded  in  pronouncing  the 


74  CAMILLA  ; 

name  of  the  hotel  which  she  gave  as  the  "  Ir-ving 
House." 

The  first  few  days  they  gave  themselves  up  to  sight 
seeing.  The  American  called  frequently  and  said  that 
the  first  concert  would  come  off  very  soon.  He  had 
advertised  it  extensively  and  the  whole  troupe  must 
prepare  for  the  great  event.  In  the  meantime  they 
must  be  prepared  to  receive  company,  for  the  authori- 
ties would  soon  call  upon  them.  This  they  thought 
would  be  quite  proper  and  they  felt  sure  they  would  re- 
ceive the  dignitaries  of  the  city  with  becoming  respect. 

In  order  to  give  a  proper  variety  to  Camilla's  .con- 
certs other  talent  had  been  engaged.  Oscar  Comettant 
and  his  wife  had  been  invited  by  the  American  to  join 
the  troupe.  He  was  to  assist  as  accompanist  and  his 
wife  was  to  sing.  There  was  also  a  M.  Fetlinger  a  buf- 
fo singer.  This  enabled  them  to  present  with  Camilla's 
assistance  the  best  of  programmes. 

While  they  were  thus  waiting  at  the  Irving  House 
for  their  first  concert,  the  whole  party  M.  and  Madam 
Comettant,  M.  Urso,  Camilla,  and  Aunt  Caroline  all 
went  out  to  walk  one  bright  sunny  morning.  As  they 
strolled  through  the  streets  they  suddenly  came  to  a 
dead  wall  where  in  gorgeous  letters  six  feet  high  was 
printed  the  startling  announcement :  — 

"CAMILLA  ORSO  HAS  ARRIVED," 


A  TALE  OP  A  VIOLIN.  75 

They  all  stopped  and  gazed  with  feelings  of  wonder 
and  awe,  upon  this  remarkable  sentence. 

Oscar  Comettant  was  the  only  one  who  could  trans- 
late it  and  when  he  had  done  so  they  all  repeated  it 
over  to  themselves.  As  for  Camilla  she  committed  it 
to  memory  as  the  first  sentence  she  had  ever  spoken  in 
English.  They  returned  to  the  Irving  House  remark- 
ing to  themselves  that  America  was  truly  a  wonderful 
country.  The  intelligent  natives  appreciated  music. 
They  welcomed  artists  in  a  truly  royal  manner,  and 
published  their  names  in  letters  six  feet  high.  While 
they  were  talking  over  the  matter  the  American  sud- 
denly came  in.  He  seemed  greatly  excited  over  some- 
thing. Was  the  Mayor  coming  ?  Were  the  authori- 
ties coming  to  visit  them  ?  Should  they  dress  for  com- 
pany? 

Ah  !  No  I  Something  had  happend.  He  was  very 
sorry — but — his  partner — who  supplied  the  money,  etc. 
had— failed  ? 

Failed!    What  did  he  mean  !    Failed? 

No  money  ? 

No,  not  a  dollar  left ! 

They  couldn't  believe  it.  Were  they  to  give  no 
concert  ?  Was  not  Camilla  going  to  play  ?  Was  the 
grand  scheme  a  failure  ? 

Yes.    It  was  all  over.    Everything  had  failed. 

The  whole  party  was  utterly  stupified  and  hadn't 
a  word  to  say.  What  should  they  do  ?  Where  were 


<  6  CAMILLA  ; 

• 

they  to  go  ?  The  disaster  was  too  great  for  compre- 
hension. They  hardly  knew  what  to  say  much  less 
what  to  do.  The  American  could  do  nothing.  He 
had  not  a  dollar  in  the  world. 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  77 


CHAPTER  VII. 
"CAMILLA  URSO  HAS  ARRIVED." 

What  were  they  to  do  next  ?  They  could  not  speak 
a  word  of  English  and  had  not  a  dollar.  They  would 
gladly  return  to  France  could  they  manage  the  tickets. 
It  was  impossible.  Something  must  be  done.  A  con- 
cert or  two  must  be  given.  Camilla  would  surely  suc- 
ceed if  she  had  a  hearing.  The  American  must  not 
desert  them  utterly.  He  might,  at  least,  act  as  their 
business  agent  and  assist  them  in  giving  a  few  concerts. 

They  could  repeat  the  plan  that  they  had  tried  with 
such  success  in  Germany.  Camilla  might  play  before 
some  of  the  wealthy  families  and  then  give  a  con- 
cert. It  did  not  meet  their  expectations.  The  cus- 
toms of  the  country  were  different,  and  though  she 
visited  Commodore  Stevens,  then  living  at  Hoboken,  and 
played  for  him,  nothing  came  of  it.  He  was  greatly 
pleased  with  the  child  and  on  taking  her  to  a  jeweler's 
bid  her  select  such  a  ring  as  she  fancied.  A  ring  with 
a  variety  of  stones,  a  sentiment  ring,  took  her  girlish 
eyes  and  she  chose  it  in  preference  to  a  more  costly 
one. 


78  CAMILLA ; 

And  that  was  all  that  came  of  it.  Her  visit  did  not 
lead  to  a  concert  and  their  fortunes  seemed  as  desper- 
ate as  ever.  M.  Urso  went  everywhere  among  his 
countrymen  and  told  his  story  and  endeavored  to  find 
a  chance  for  Camilla  to  play.  He  could  not  give  a 
concert  on  his  own  responsibility.  Some  artist  must 
be  found  to  bring  Camilla  out  before  the  American 
public. 

Fortunately,  Madam  Alboni  was  in  New  York  about 
this  time  and  through  her  kindness  an  opportunity  was 
found  for  Camilla.  Three  concerts  were  arranged  in 
which  Camilla  might  make  her  bow  before  the  Ameri- 
can people.  Child  violinists  were  not  unknown  in 
New  York.  Paul  Julian  had  played  in  the  city  and 
had  attracted  much  attention.  The  announcement 
that  a  new  child-artist — a  girl  and  a  violinist  would  ap- 
pear only  roused  curiosity  and  people  were  eager  to  see 
how  she  compared  with  the  boy  Julian.  They  called 
her  Camilla — Camilla  Urso.  Who  was  she  ?  Where 
did  she  come  from  ?  No  one  seemed  to  know.  Mad- 
am Alboni  was  to  bring  her  out.  The  child  must 
have  some  talent  to  be  patronized  by  such  an  artist  as 
Madam  Alboni. 

Only  ten  years  of  age.  Certainly  a  marvelous  child. 
And  a  girl.  It  must  be  a  sight  worth  seeing.  They 
would  all  go  to  the  concert.  In  this  shallow  style  did 
the  people  of  New  York  talk.  They  looked  upon 
her  as  some  kind  of  natural  wonder,  or  curiosity.  That 
she  might  have  an  artist's  soul,  that  her  playing  might 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  79 

be  something  more  than  mere  display  did  not  seem  to 
enter  their  comprehension. 

In  due  time  the  concert  came  off  and  a  slender,  blue 
eyed  girl  hardly  four  feet  high  appeared  and  played  a 
fantasia  or  themes  from  Somnambula.  They  had  ex- 
pected she  would  play  fairly  well,  they  looked  for  toler- 
able skill.  What  they  did  see  and  hear  so  far  exceeded 
their  expectations  that  they  could  not  find  words  to  ex- 
press their  admiration. 

The  steady  position,  the  vigor  and  grace  of  her  bow- 
ing, the  strong,  firm  tone,  and  more  than  all  the  won- 
derful delicacy  and  lightness  of  her  touch.  The  splen- 
did technical  ability,  and  her  simple  manners,  the  de- 
mure and  serious  eyes  and  the  slight,  girlish  figure, 
these  captured  their  hearts  and  won  their  respect. 

The  concert  was  a  great  success  and  Camilla  in  a 
single  night  established  her  reputation  in  the  United 
States.  This  was  her  first  real  step  in  her  artist  life. 
She  here  laid  the  foundation  of  her  reputation,  a  repu- 
tation that  was  first  American  and  afterwards  Euro- 
pean. 

The  next  morning  the  New  York  Herald  gave  her 
the  first  newspaper  notice  she  ever  received  in  this 
country. 

"  Little  Camilla  Urso,  the  wonderful  child  violinist, 
divided  honors  with  the  prima  donna.  Of  the  same 
age  and  country  as  Paul  Julian,  whose  masterly  per- 
formance on  the  violin  attracted  so  much  attention 
here,  this  new  candidate  for  public  favor  promises  to  be 
a  powerful  competetor  with  him.  Her  execution  of 


80  CAMILLA  ; 

the  fantasia  or  Somnambula  was  most  admirable  and 
drew  down  vociferous  calls  for  an  encore  which  were 
honored.  Several  bouquets  were  thrown  to  her  on  the 
stage  and  the  greatest  entbuasiasm  was  manifested  in 
respect  to  the  marvelous  little  artist." 

Then  some  one  suggested  that  they  try  Boston. 
That  city  was  a  musical  centre  and  Camilla  would  be 
sure  to  meet  with  a  good  reception  there.  Accordingly 
under  the  guidance  of  the  American  the  entire  party 
went  to  Boston.  Mr.  Jonas  Chickering,  the  piano-forte 
manufacturer  kindly  welcomed  her  and  invited  her  to 
call  at  his  residence  on  Boylston  street,  two  doors  from 
the  building  now  occupied  by  the  Art  Club.  So  much 
pleased  was  he  with  her  simple  manners  and  her  won- 
derful playing  that  he  opened  his  elegant  warerooms 
and  invited  a  select  company  of  musical  people  to  hear 
her  play.  This  private  concert  first  brought  Camilla 
before  us.  She  had,  as  it  were,  come  before  us.  Hither- 
to, it  had  been  a  strange  sWy  that  had  been  told  to  us. 
We  could  now  see  and  hear  for  ourselves. 

The  Boston  Transcript  and  Dwight's  Journal  of  Mu- 
sic, then  our  best  authorities  upon  art  matters  thus 
spoke  of  this  occasion  ;  — 

"Her  violin  playing  is  not  that  of  a  child, — even  a 
remarkable  child — but  that  of  an  article  cultivated  and 
accomplished.  Her  bowing  is  extremely  graceful  and 
free,  her  execution  neat  and  clear,  her  intonation  per- 
fect." 

Dwight's  Journal  of  Oct.  9th  says;  — 

"  Little  Camilla  Urso,  the  violinist,  but  eleven  years 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  81 

old,  announced  a  concert  at  the  Masonic  Temple  for 
last  evening,  just  too  late  for  notice  in  this  paper.  But 
we  had  the  pleasure, — and  a  choice  one  it  was — of 
hearing  her  the  other  evening  in  a  company  of  some 
forty  invited  guests,  in  Mr.  Chickering's  saloon.  Her 
playing  is  not  only  truly  wonderful,  but  wonderfully 
true ; — true  in  style,  expression,  feeling,  as  it  is  true  in 
intonation  and  all  mechanical  respects.  She  played  Ar- 
tot's  Souvenirs  de  Bellini,  and  never  have  we  listened 
to  a  long  fantasia  of  severil  themes,  worked  up  in  all 
manner  of  variations,  with  a  purer  pleasure.  It  was 
masterly  ;  the  firm  and  graceful  bowing,  the  rich,  pure, 
refined  tone,  the  light  and  shade,  the  easy  control  of 
arpeggio,  staccato,  double  stops,  etc.,  were  all  such  as  we 
could  only  have  expected  from  the  maturest  masters 
we  have  heard.  We  could  scarcely  credit  our  own 
eyes  and  ears. 

The  little  maiden  is  plain,  with  strong  arms  and 
hands  enlarged  by  practice  of  her  instrument ;  yet  her 
appearance  is  most  interesting  ;  a  face  full  of  intellect- 
ual and  sedate  expression,  a  large  forehead  wearing  the 
« pale  cast  of  thought '  etc.  Pity  only  that  such  fine 
life  must  be  lived  out  so  fast,  and  always  in  the  blaze 
of  too  much  sun  for  plants  so  young  and  tender !  " 

Then  followed  two  concerts  at  the  Masonic  Temple. 
Concerning  her  playing  at  these  concerts  we  may  quote 
from  Dwight's  Journal  of  October  16th. 

CAMILLA  URSO.  "  Two  concerts  have  confirmed 
all  we  have  said  of  this  wonderful  girl  violinist.  Two 
concerts,  attended  by  an  intelligent,  nay,  an  exacting, 
audience  delighted  almost  to  tears— and  yet  not  money 
enough  in  the  house  to  pay  expenses !  Indifference  to 
flaming  advertisements  of  pecocity  is  well ;  but  it  is 
not  well,  not  worthy  of  the  taste  of  Boston  thus  to  neg- 
lect one  of  the  finest  manifestations  of  genius  that  ever 


82  CAMILLA ; 

seemed  to  come  to  us  so  straight  from  heaven.  It  was 
one  of  the  most  beautiful,  most  touching  experiences  of 
our  whole  musical  life,  to  see  and  hear  that  charming 
little  maiden,  so  natural  and  childlke,  so  full  of  senti- 
ment and  thought,  so  selfposesed-and  graceful  in  her 
whole  bearing  and  in  her  every  motion,  handle  her  in- 
strument there  like  a  master,  drawing  forth  tones  of 
purest  and  most  feeling  quality ;  with  an  infallible  truth 
of  intonation,  unattained  by  many  an  orchestra  leader  ; 
reproducing  perfectly,  as  if  by  the  hearts  own  direct 
magnetic  agency,  an  entire  Concerto  of  Viotti  or  De 
Beriot,  wooing  forth  the  gentler  melodies  with  a  fine 
caressing  delicacy  and  giving  out  strong  passages  in 
chords  with  ever  thrilling  grandeur." 

The  first  of  these  concerts  was  on  the  8th  and  the 
second  on  the  1 2th  of  the  month.  Neither  was  success- 
ful and  evil  days  again  came  upon  them.  The  concert 
company  broke  up  and  each  looked  out  for  himself  as 
best  he  could.  As  for  Camilla  she  returned  to  New 
York  with  her  father  and  aunt  and  they  settled  down 
in  poor  and  miserable  quarters  in  a  house  on  Howard 
street — the  Rue  Lamartine  of  New  York. 

Her  reception  in  Boston  had  not  been  a  pleasant 
one.  There  seemed  to  be  a  prejudice  against  her. 
The  good  people  could  not  quite  forgive  her  for  being 
a  girl.  It  was  well  for  Paul  Julian — he  was  a  boy. 
Camilla's  appearance  disturbed  their  nice  sense  of  pro- 
priety. This  is  only  the  more  remarkable  when  we 
come  to  see  that  later  in  her  life  Boston  became  her 
second  home.  It  was  here  that  she  afterwards  laid  the 
foundation  for  her  reputation  and  here  she  won  her 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  83 

greatest  triumphs.  Since,  she  hag  played  in  our  city 
over  two  hundred  times  and  here  her  greatest  and  lat- 
est artistic  efforts  have  been  made.  Little  did  she 
think  as  she  left  the  city  that  she  should  afterwards  en- 
ter it  twice  under  most  peculiar  circumstances  and  af- 
terwards make  it  the  home  of  her  girlhood  and  some- 
times her  residence  in  womanhood. 

Heaven  helps  those  who  try  to  help  themselves.  It 
was  useless  to  cry  or  sit  down  in  dispair.  Camilla  at 
once  resumed  her  practice  under  her  father's  guidance. 
The  violin  was  taken  out  again  and  the  wretched  alley- 
ways about  Howard  street  reechoed  with  the  strains  of 
the  marvelous  instrument.  By  the  hour  the  music 
floated  out  the  dismal  chamber  window  where  the 
wonder-child  toiled  over  the  seemingly  hopeless  task. 
The  thin,  pale  face  bent  over  the  music  book  all  the  day 
long.  Practice,  practice,  practice.  Life  seemed  made 
for  that. 

What  was  the  good  of  it  all  ?  It  had  only  brought 
them  poverty  and  sorrow.  Not  for  a  moment  did  she 
pause.  The  art  was  reward  enough  without  the  mon- 
ey. She  would  wait. 

It  happened  just  at  this  time  that  Paul  Julian,  not  in 
the  most  happy  financial  circumstances  came  to  New 
York  and  for  a  week  lived  in  the  same  humble  board- 
ing house  with  the  Ursos.  Camilla's  room  was  up  stairs 
and  Paul's  just  under  it.  Both  practiced  incessantly, 
and  Camilla's  father  while  attending  to  her  lessons 
would  often  say  :  — 


84  CAMILLA  ; 

"  Hear  that  boy !     He  loves  to  practice." 

Paul's  father  in  the  room  below  would  bid  the  boy 
stop  and  listen  to  the  girl  artist  overhead  and  say : — 

"  Hear  that  girl !     See  how  she  loves  to  practice." 

When  the  lesson  hour  was  over  the  two  children 
met  on  the  stairs  or  on  the  sidewalk  for  their  brief  play 
hour  and  would  exchange  notes  concerning  their  two 
fathers. 

"  Was  your  father  cross  to-dav?  " 

"  Yes.     Cross  as  a  bear ! " 

"  So  was  mine." 

Camilla  did  not  remain  in  obscurity  and  poverty 
long.  Archbishop  Hughes  heard  of  her  and  arranged 
a  charity  concert  in  which  she  was  invited  to  appear. 
The  concert  was  for  the  benefit  of  the  Catholic  Orphan 
Asylum  and  as  Camilla  had  contributed  largely  to  its 
success  a  share  of  the  proceeds  were  given  to  her  fa- 
ther. This  fortunately  saved  them  from  immediate 
want  and  in  a  few  days  after  a  still  greater  piece  of 
luck  came  to  them.  A  letter  came  from  Philadelphia 
inviting  Camilla  to  play  at  a  concert  given  by  the 
Philharmonic  society  of  that  city.  She  at  once  went 
to  Philadelphia  in  company  with  her  father  and 
aunt  and  there  received  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars 
for  a  single  performance  on  her  violin.  This  was  the 
largest  sum  she  had  ever  received  at  one  time  and  it 
seemed  as  if  their  day  of  small  things  was  nearly  over. 

While  they  were  in  Philadelphia  an  agent  of  the 
Germania  Musical  Society  of  Boston  visited  them  and 


A  TALE  OP  A  VIOLIN.  85 

invited  Camilla  to  join  the  Society  in  a  series  of  con- 
certs thtt  they  proposed  to  give  in  the  New  England 
cities.  A  handsome  salary  T7as  offered  and  they  all 
three  started  once  more  for  Boston. 

They  took  rooms  at  the  United  States  Hotel  and 
prepared  for  a  long  stay.  Camilla's  return  and  reap- 
pearance in  our  streets  was  not  happy.  They  arrived 
on  Saturday  and  the  next  day  having  nothing  in  par- 
ticular to  do  Camilla  took  aunt  Caroline's  hand  and 
they  went  out  for  a  little  walk.  The  streets,  so 
strangely  quiet  in  their  foreign  eyes,  seemed  dull  and 
they  walked  on  thinking  they  might  come  to  some  gar- 
den or  pleasure  ground  where  the  people  would  be  listen- 
ing to  a  band,  drinking  coffee  and  making  merry  in  a 
proper  manner. 

They  could  not  find  the  place.  The  stores  were  all 
closed  and  it  seemed  very  stupid  and  gloomy.  They 
would  return  to  their  hotel.  It  was  down  this  street 
No.  It  was  that  way.  Which  way  was  it?  The 
streets  were  so  very  crooked  that  really  they  were 
quite  lost. 

They  stoped  a  gentleman  and  said  as  best  they 
could — "  Unated  Statis  Hotel  ?  "  He  did  not  seem  to 
understand  and  passed  on.  Then  they  tried  a  lady 
and  repeated  the  words  "  Unated  Statis  Hotel  ?  "  The 
lady  talked  about  something  but  they  could  not  un- 
derstand a  single  word.  Again  and  again  they  stoped 
people  on  the  walk  and  repeated  the  strange  words. 
Every  one  shook  his  head  or  talked  rapidly  about 


8b  CAMILLA  ; 

things  they  could  not  understand  and  not  one  could 
show  the  way  to  the  "  Unated  Statis  Hotel." 

Poor  Camilla  began  to  cry  with  the  cold  and  they 
•were  having  a  sorry  time  of  it.  They  met  an  Irish 
servant  girl  going  home  from  church.  They  repeated 
f,he  words  to  her  and  the  quick  witted  girl  soon  led 
them  back  a  few  steps  and  showed  them  the  great  brick 
block  with  its  gilded  sign  "United  States  Hotel." 

Kow  it  was  that  we  became  familiar  with  Camilla's 
face  in  our  streets.  Her  black  felt  hat  and  long  dark 
green  plume  that  was  at  once  so  singular  and  so  very 
becoming,  her  big  blue  eyes  with  the  sly  twinkle  in 
them,  the  smiling  mouth  and  sweet  tempered  expression 
of  her  face  won  unusual  attention  and  admiration. 
Children  in  the  streets  said  "there  goes  Camilla  Urso," 
and  ran  after  her  to  see  the  pretty  French  girl  who 
had  come  to  live  among  us.  Traditions  of  her  girlhood 
days  are  still  treasured  up  in  many  Boston  families  and 
pleasant  stories  are  told  of  this  part  of  her  life.  She 
here  grew  in  mind  and  stature  and  she  was  no  longer 
little  Camilla  but  Mademoiselle  Camilla  Urso. 

The  first  concert  with  the  Germanias  was  given  on 
the  evening  of  December  llth,  and  from  that  time 
there  was  a  brief  space  of  financial  happiness  for  our 
young  Mademoiselle.  For  several  months  she  had 
more  leisure  than  she  had  ever  known  in  her  short  life. 
Their  headquarters  were  in  Boston  and  the  tours  were 
short  and  easy. 

There  seemed  to  be  no  immediate  prospect  of  re- 
turning to  France  and  something  must  be  done  about 


A  TALE   OF   A    VIOLIN.  87 

Mademoiselle's  English  education.  The  family  made 
their  home  at  the  United  States  Hotel  and  during  the 
intervals  between  the  short  concert  trips  a  private  tu- 
tor came  to  their  rooms  to  instruct  her  young  ladyship 
in  the  language  of  the  country.  Nothing  had  been 
done  even  in  French  and  she  found  herself  wofully  ig- 
norant for  a  ten  year  old  girl.  It  made  very  little  dif- 
ference for  she  took  up  the  matter  with  enthusiasm  and 
learned  to  read  in  an  incredably  short  time.  Within 
three  months  she  could  express  herself  with  tolerable 
ease  in  English  and  learned  to  read  almost  anything 
that  was  put  before  her  either  in  French  or  English. 
How  it  happened  she  could  hardly  explain.  It  must 
have  been  the  intuitive  grasping  of  a  mind  prema- 
turely active  and  retentive.  She  could  read  music  as 
easily  as  a  Boston  girl  of  her  age  could  read  the  daily 
papers,  and  it  did  not  seem  to  her  in  any  sense  difficult 
to  understand  the  much  more  simple  alphabet  of 
spoken  language.  She  had  only  one  objection  to  her 
tutor.  He  helped  her  over  the  hard  words  and  all 
that  and  was  not  cross  but  as  she  confided  to  her  aunt, 
"he  was  very  disagreeable — she  didn't  like  him  for  he 
chewed — and  it  wasn't  pleasant." 

At  the  same  time  such  a  demure  puss,  with  such 
proper  notions  about  manners  was  not  above  joining 
some  of  the  other  girls  in  grand  romps  in  the  corridors 
of  the  hotel,  nor  afraid  to  join  them  in  the  glorious  mis- 
chief of  changing  all  the  boots  put  out  at  the  doors  of 
the  rooms  and  then  listen  at  the  top  of  the  stairs  at  the 
fine  uproar  caused  by  their  pranks. 


88  CAMILLA ; 

It  was  during  this  residence  in  Boston  that  Camilla 
was  confirmed  at  Church  and  she  passed  the  allotted 
weeks  of  preparation  at  the  Convent  of  Notre  Dame 
at  Roxbury.  Her  father  thought  it  a  sad  loss  of  time 
on  account  of  her  violin  practice,  but  for  Camilla  it 
was  a  period  of  unalloyed  happiness.  She  was  the  pet 
of  the  school,  and  her  simple,  childlike  nature  bloomed 
out  freely  in  the  quiet  atmosphere  of  the  place.  Here 
for  the  first  time  she  learned  to  use  her  needle.  Pen, 
needles,  pen-knife  and  scissors  had  been  carefully  kept 
out  of  her  hands  for  fear  of  possible  injury  to  her  fin- 
gers and  yet  she  learned  to  sew  quite  well  in  a  very 
few  lessons.  It  was  merely  a  mechanical  operation 
and  it  came  to  her  in  a  flash.  She  astonished  the  good 
sisters  with  her  feats  of  embroidery  and  fine  sewing 
and  they  could  not  understand  how  such  an  one  could 
learn  so  quickly.  The  manual  skill  of  playing  and  the 
quick  eye  in  reading  music  had  probably  much  to  do 
with  it.  The  weeks  at  the  convent  were  like  a  charm- 
ing oasis  in  the  dry  and  dusty  plain  of  her  public  life 
and  she  came  out  of  the  school  blooming  with  health 
and  happiness. 

On  the  4th  of  April,  1853,  the  Gennanias  started 
out  on  an  extended  tour  through  the  Western  States 
and  with  them  went  Mademoiselle  Camilla,  her  father 
and  aunt.  It  was  upon  this  trip  that  Camilla  Urso's 
face  became  familiar  to  the  people  of  this  country. 
She  had  visited  nearly  every  important  city  and  town 
in  New  England  and  now  she  played  in  every  large 


A  TALE  OP  A  VIOLIN.  89 

city  through  the  Northern  and  Western  States.  She 
went  as  far  west  as  St.  Louis  and  as  far  south  as  the 
Ohio.  It  was  a  stiring,  eventful  life.  Traveling  con- 
stantly, playing  four  or  five  times  a  week,  meeting  new 
friends  every  day,  practicing  steadily  and  growing  in 
mind  and  stature  she  seemed  to  have  found  the  desire 
of  her  young  heart.  Finally  the  trip  ended  at  Roch- 
ester, New  York,  on  the  llth  of  June,  and  the  company 
separated.  The  Germanias  went  to  Newport  for  their 
summer  campaign  and  the  Ursos  returned  to  New 
York. 

Madam  Henrietta  Sontag  was  at  this  time  traveling 
in  this  country.  She  had  given  a  series  of  very  suc- 
cessful operatic  performances  in  Boston  and  New  York 
during  the  Winter  and  Spring,  and  proposed  to  make  a 
concert  tour  through  the  West  and  South  during  the 
Fall  and  Winter.  M.  Urso  while  in  New  York  received 
a  letter  from  her  agent  inviting  Camilla  to  join  the 
troupe.  Accordingly  she  set  out  with  her  father  and 
met  Madam  Sontag's  party  at  Cincinnati.  Aunt  Caro- 
line traveled  with  them  as  far  as  Louisville,  Ky.  Mad- 
am Sontag,  who  was  greatly  pleased  with  Camilla  here 
offered  to  have  a  motherly  eye  over  her  and  accord- 
ingly her  aunt  returned  to  New  York  and  only  M. 
Urso  remained  to  be  guide  and  helper  to  our  young 
Mademoiselle. 

For  Camilla  this  trip  was  a  season  of  great  happi- 
ness. She  was  earning  money  rapidly,  her  Mother  in 
far  away  Paris  could  share  in  the  golden  store  and  her 
father  was  pleased  and  satisfied 


90  CAMILLA  ; 

Madam  Sontag  became  a  second  mother  to  Camilla 
and  treated  her  with  the  utmost  kindness.  Every  day 
Camilla  must  come  to  her  room  to  practice  and  receive 
instructions  in  singing.  Camilla's  instrument  was  the 
violin.  She  could  sing  with  more  than  ordinary  skill 
and  in  perfecting  her  phrasing  and  in  improving  her 
style  in  vocal  music  Madam  Sontag  insensibly  im- 
proved her  violin  music.  All  of  Camilla's  music  was 
examined  by  the  great  singer  and  in  those  stray  hours 
picked  up  between  the  demand  of  concerts  and  travel 
much  of  art  and  happiness  was  enjoyed. 

Camilla  was  the  favorite  of  the  entire  company. 
There  was  Pozzolini,  the  tenor,  fat  Badially,  the  bass, 
jolly  Rocco  the  buffo  singer  and  Alfred  Jael  the  rising 
young  pianist,  merriest  of  them  all.  With  each  Camilla 
was  a  pet.  Every  one  seemed  ready  to  please  the 
young  girl  and  in  their  society  life  passed  happily. 
Freed  from  anxiety  and  the  excessive  and  wearisome 
practice  her  nature  expanded  and  she  began  to  show 
that  sweet  and  amiable  character  that  so  brightens  her 
maturer  years. 

Giving  concerts  at  every  city  the  party  took  their 
triumphant  way  down  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  to  New 
Orleans.  The  brilliant  concerts,  the  strange  people, 
the  mighty  river,  the  life  on  the  palatial  steamboats,  the 
perpetual  change  of  scene  awoke  Camilla's  fancy  and 
imagination  and  developed  her  character  rapidly. 
The  publicity,  the  glare  and  the  excitement  only 
brought  out  her  intellectual  and  artistic  power.  Most 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  91 

young  people  would  have  been  upset  and  spoiled  by 
vanity.  Her  young  days  in  the  orchestra  at  Nantes  had 
accustomed  her  to  public  life,  and  the  povery  and  trial 
she  hacl  gone  through  served  as  good  ballast  to  keep 
her  steady  when  riding  on  the  topmost  wave  of  suc- 
cess. 

The  tour  ended  at  New  Orleans  with  even  greater 
triumphs.  Camilla  appeared  eighteen  times  in  com- 
pany with  Madam  Sontag  and  each  concert  was  a  per- 
fect success  in  every  sense. 

Then  in  a  moment  the  bright  dream  came  to  an  end. 
Madam  Sontag  and  her  opera  company  set  out  for 
Mexico,  leaving  Camilla  and  her  father  in  New  Or- 
leans. She  would  return  soon  and  in  the  mean  time 
Camilla  could  wait  and  by  study  and  practice  prepare 
for  a  new  tour  through  the  Northern  States  in  the 
Spring. 

In  a  few  weeks  came  the  dreadful  news  that  the  good 
and  amiable  woman,  and  the  great  artist  was  dead. 
She  had  died  after  a  brief  illness  in  the  city  of  Mexico 
and  all  of  Camilla's  hopes  were  destroyed.  Again  she 
was  without  employment  and  without  money.  Her 
father  was  not  distinguished  for  sound  financial  ability. 
He  was  too  generous  and  liberal,  and  in  spite  of  the 
large  sums  of  gold  that  had  been  paid  to  him  on  Ca- 
milla's account  he  found  himself  in  actual  distress  at 
the  breaking  up  of  the  Sontag  combination.  With 
reasonable  prudence  they  could  have  saved  enough  to 
enable  them  to  retreat  to  the  more  prosperous  field  in 


92  CAMILLA  ; 

the  Northern  States.  As  it  was  Camilla  was  obliged 
to  begin  again,  and  slowly,  and  painfully  win  her  way 
back  alone  to  the  North  and  to  happier  days.  An 
agent  was  found  to  take  her  through  the  Southern 
cities  and  thence  by  the  way  of  the  seaboard  to  New 
York.  It  was  not  a  happy  trip.  There  was  no  longer  a 
great  singer  to  attract  attention,  there  was  no  obedient 
and  skillful  business  man  traveling  ahead  to  prepare 
the  way  and  secure  hotel  comforts  and  financial  success. 

Camilla's  violin  was  the  only  attraction,  and  to  fill 
out  the  programme  they  were  obliged  to  call  in  the  aid 
of  such  local  talent  as  they  could  find  in  the  various 
cities  they  visited.  Mobile,  Savannah,  Charleston,  and 
other  places  were  visited  and  after  a  slow  and  disagree- 
able journey  they  arrived  in  Baltimore  in  the  Spring  of 
1855  almost  without  a  cent. 

Here  came  a  singular  episode  in  Camilla's  life  that 
will  illustrate  the  perfection  of  her  schooling  at  the 
Conservator)'  of  music  at  Paris.  A  gentleman  and  a 
public  singer  heard  of  Camilla's  difficulties  and  ar- 
ranged a  concert  for  her  benefit.  At  this  concert  Ca- 
milla for  the  first  and  only  time  laid  aside  her  violin 
and  appeared  as  a  singer.  No  one  had  thought  of  her 
in  this  character  and  her  duet  from  the  opera  of  L'  elisir 
'd  Amore,  by  Donizetti,  was  a  great  surprise.  She  ex- 
hibited a  fine,  clear  voice  almost  as  well  trained  as  her 
fingers.  The  performance  only  showed  how  thorough 
had  been  her  instruction  in  solfeggio  at  the  Conserva- 
tory. Every  true  artist  is  a  singer.  No  matter  what 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  93 

his  or  her  instrument  may  be,  no  matter  how  skillful  their 
fingers  may  be  with  bow  or  keys,  singing  must  form  a 
part  of  their  education.  This  is  the  theory  of  Camilla's 
study  in  music.  The  practice  of  solfeggio  gives  clear- 
ness and  accuracy  to  the  ear,  and  teaches  the  eye  to 
read  with  certainty  and  speed.  Much  of  her  under- 
standing of  music  has  come  from  such  practice  and  it 
should  form  a  part  of  every  musician's  education. 

Finally  father  and  daughter  reached  New  York  af- 
ter an  absence  of  nearly  nine  months,  and  almost  as 
poor  as  when  they  started.  The  Summer  season  was  at 
hand  and  there  was  very  little  opportunity  for  concerts. 
In  company  with  her  father  she  then  went  to  Canada 
and  there  traveled  from  place  to  place  giving  occasional 
concerts  and  everywhere  winning  many  friends.  In- 
vitations to  visit  the  homes  of  private  families  came  to 
them  freely  and  for  Camilla  the  trip  was  a  very  happy 
one.  So  happy  indeed  that  she  was  unwilling  to  leave 
her  new  friends  even  when  the  news  of  her  mother's 
arrival  in  New  York  was  received.  M.  Urso  went  on 
to  receive  his  wife,  but  Camilla  persisted  in  staying 
where  she  was.  She  was  the  admired  and  sought  after 
young  girl.  Every  one  seemed  ready  to  offer  her 
every  pleasure  and  attention  and  she  was  far  from  will- 
ing to  return  to  the  life  of  concert  giving  and  practice. 

Concerning  the  music  that  Mademoiselle  Urso  played 
at  this  time,  we  may  mention  a  few  of  the  pieces  usu- 
ally given  at  her  concerts.  They  give  us  nor  only  an 
idea  of  her  musical  ability,  but  serve  to  illusxntie  the 


94  CAMILLA ; 

character  of  the  concert  pieces  in  vogue  at  that  time. 
No  musical  life  would  be  complete,  even  if  it  is  that  of 
a  "  wonder-child  "  without  some  information  concern- 
ing the  actual  work  performed.  Mademoiselle  Urso 
was  not  in  any  sense  limited  in  her  range  of  pieces. 
She  did  not  have  a  mere  stock  set  that  she  always 
played.  She  could  and  did  play  everything  that  had 
been  printed  for  the  violin.  In  her  girlhood's  concerts 
she  chose  those  most  popular  without  much  regard  to 
their  actual  position  in  the  art.  She  had  not  then 
reached  her  true  artist-life  and  was  not,  as  now,  in  a 
position  to  lead  the  public  taste  into  the  higher  fields  oi 
classic  music.  She  played  then  such  pieces  as  the  Vio- 
lin Concerto,  by  Viotti,  Alarms  Souvenir  the  Daughter 
of  the  Regiment,  Souvenir  de  Gretry,  Souvenir  de  Mo 
zarl,  by  Leonard,  and  the  Tremolo,  by  De  Beriot.  She 
also  gave  at  times  the  Witches'  Dance,  by  Paginini 
and  La  Melancholie,  by  Prune. 

After  some  delay  Camilla  joined  her  father  and 
mother  at  New  York,  and  the  family  were  once  more 
reunited.  It  was  at  this  time  that  they  had  the  misfor- 
tune to- have  their  rooms  entered,  and  all  the  presents, 
including  the  pearl  cross  that  Camilla  had  received  oa 
that  almost  forgotten  German  tour,  were  stolen. 

The  family  were  not  united  long.  In  the  Fall  Mrs. 
Macready,  the  reader,  invited  Camilla  to  join  her  troupe 
on  a  tour  through  the  West.  As  mother  and  daughter 
had  been  separated  for  a  long  time  Madam  Urso 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  95 

traveled  with  Camilla  a  portion  of  this  journey.  Un- 
fortunately Madam  Urso  was  taken  sick  at  Cincinnati 
and  for  a  while  Camilla  traveled  alone  with  Mrs.  Ma- 
cready.  This  tour  was  quite  a  successful  one  for  Ca- 
milla and  it  finally  ended  in  Nashville,  Tenn.,  where 
the  party  separated. 


96  CAMILLA  ; 


II. 

CHAPTER  I. 

INTO   EACH  LIFE   SOME   RAIN   MUST  FALL. 

At  the  close  of  her  tour  with  Mrs.  Macready  in  1855 
Mademoiselle  Urso  left  the  concert  stage,  gave  up  play- 
ing in  public  and  retired  to  private  life  in  Nashville, 
Tenn.,  only  appearing  at  occasional  charity  concerts. 
Seven  years  later,  in  the  Autumn  of  1862,  she  returned 
to  New  York  prepared  to  resume  her  artist-life.  The 
musical  world  remembered  with  respect  and  admiration 
the  Camilla  Urso  of  her  brilliant  girlhood.  The  won- 
derful child-life  had  ended.  The  new  artist-life  now 
begins.  Once  more  the  swift  fingers  might  fly  over 
the  mystic  strings.  Again  the  bow  arm  wield  its  magic 
wand. 

Could  they  V .  Would  the  art  come  back  after  seven 
years  of  almost  total  neglect  ?  Would  the  woman  ful- 
fill the  promise  of  the  child  V  She  could  not  tell.  It 
seemed  a  life-time  since  she  had  played  in  public.  It 
was  a  doubtful  experiment.  She  would  not  hesitate 
nor  be  afraid.  She  would  try  again. 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  97 

"  Father,  I  have  come  home." 

Father,  mother,  daughter  and  dear  aunt  once  more 
reunited.  It  was  an  humble  home  in  the  midst  of  the 
great  city.  It  was  home  and  that  was  enough. 

"  What  now,  my  daughter?" 

"  Music,  father.    My  violin.    Give  it  me  once  more.** 

Once  more  the  violin  is  placed  on  the  young  shoulder 
and  the  bow  is  laid  with  caressing  touch  upon  the  be- 
loved strings.  Ten  and  often  fifteen  hours  a  day  in- 
cessant practice.  No  rigid  Massart  to  watch  every 
note.  No  father  to  sit  by  to  guide  and  help.  Alone 
with  her  violin.  She  would  have  no  master  now.  She 
would  be  her  own  master.  Her  genius  should  be  her 
guide. 

Again  the  long,  slow  notes.  Again  the  patient  finger 
exercises.  From  the  almost  forgotten  years  she  re- 
called the  lessons  of  the  Conservatory  and  the  instruc- 
tions of  dear  old  Felix  Simon,  at  sunny  Nantes.  He 
was  at  hand  and  lived  in  New  York.  He  mi^ht  help 
her.  No,  she  did  not  wish  it.  She  refused  even  her 
father's  aid.  She  knew  herself  now.  Times  had 
changed  since  those  old  days  in  Nantes.  Music  had 
changed.  Violin  playing  had  changed.  She  could  not 
tell  exactly  how  or  why,  but  she  felt  sure  it  must  be  so. 
If  she  "was  to  succeed  she  must  come  up  with  the  level 
of  the  age.  The  standard  of  musical  taste  had  changed 
during  the  seven  years  of  blank  in  her  artist  life.  The 
playing  of  the  "  wonder-child  "  would  no  longer  please 
the  public,  much  less  herself.  If  her  music  was  then 


98  CAMILLA  ; 

remarkable  f jr  .1  child  it  must  now  be  equally  remark- 
able for  a  woman.  No  half  way  halting,  no  inferior 
work.  She  had  no  longer  tho  excuse  of  being  a  child. 
She  must  win  her  own  place  alone  and  unaided. 

Thus  thinking,  hoping  and  toiling  incessantly  she 
spent  the  weeks,  and  then  the  toil  become  a  pleasure 
and  the  hope  fruition.  To  her  surprise  and  joy  it  all 
came.  back.  And  with  it  came  something  else.  A 
new  discovery  in  her  art.  Her  violin  had  a  new  voice. 
A  wonderful  something  was  in  its  every  tone.  What 
was  it?  The  brilliant  sparkle  and  fire  of  her  girlhood- 
music  was  all  there.  Everything  had  returned  and 
•with  it  had  corns  a  lovely  spirit  born  of  love  and  sor- 
row. She  loved  har  violin.  She  had  known  grief. 
Both  lived  in  her  music 

Three  months  of  hard  study  and  then  she  felt  ready 
to  once  more  try  her  fortune.  The  fame  of  her  return 
had  quickly  spread,  and  early  in  1 863  a  letter  arrived 
from  Carl  Zerrahn  the  conductor  of  the  Philharmonic 
Society  in  Boston,  inviting  her  to  play  before  the  Soci- 
ety in  our  city.  She  accepted  the  invitation  and  once 
more  stood  before  us,  violin  in  hand,  and  surrounded  by 
hosts  of  kind  and  true  friends  ready  to  welcome  her 
back  again. 

Here  begins  the  new  artist-life  in  our  own  city  and  at 
her  childhood's  second  home  where  she  had  won  such 
honors  a^  a  girl.  Her  first  appearance  was  at  tho  Music 
Hall  on  the  14th  of  February,  and  on  this  occasion 
she  played  the  Fantasie  Caprice  by  Vieuxiemp*  and 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  99 

the  Andante  et  Rondo  Russe  by  De  Beriot. 

On  the  21st  she  played  again  and  gave  the  Souvenir 
dc  IMozart  by  A  lard  and  the  Cappicco  on  themes  from 
Fille  du  Reyimeni. 

On  the  2d  of  March  she  played  a  Fanlasie  sur  Lu- 
crezia  Borgia  by  Stanton,  the  Souvenir  des  Pryrenees  by 
Alard,  a  Duet  from  William  Tell,  for  violin  and  piano 
and  repeated  the  Vieuxtemps  Fanlasie  caprice. 

Immediately  after  this  she  was  called  to  New  York 
to  play  at  the  Philharmonic  concerts  in  that  city.  At 
one  of  these  concerts  the  pianist  Gottschalk,  who  hap- 
pened to  be  present,  became  so  excited  over  her  play- 
ing that  he  jumped  upon  the  seat  and  proposed  cheers 
for  Madam  Urso,  and  at  the  close  of  the  performance 
introduced  himself  to  her  in  the  anteroom  and  fairly 
overwhelmed  her  with  congratulations  and  praise.  It 
was  a  great  surprise  and  pleasure  to  her,  as  tho  opinion 
of  such  a  musician  was  of  real  value.  She  now  grew 
more  confident  The  promise  of  her  girlhood  might 
yet  be  fulfilled.  Sbe  would  take  new  courage  and  go 
on  with  the  work.  She  would  practice  and  study  every 
available  moment.  In  time  she  would  become  indeed 
a  great  artist.  She  would  not  now  stop  to  dream  of 
future  success  She  must  work  and  work  hard. 

Success  and  triumph  were  near  at  hand  and  almost 
before  she  was  ready  to  receive  them,  engagements  to 
play  flowed  in  upon  her  from  every  direction.  The 
days  of  poverty  and  trial  were  over.  A  steadily  in- 
increasing  financial  success  followed  her  efforts  and, 


100  CAMILLA  ; 

taught  by  the  sorrowful  experience  of  her  childhood, 
she  managed  her  affairs  with  wisdom  and  laid  the 
foundation  of  her  present  independence.  In  May  she 
gave  a  concert  in  Boston  on  her  own  behalf  at  Chick- 
ering  hall  and  played  Grand  duo  Irilltant  for  piano 
and  violin,  La  Mucetle  de  Portici  by  Wolff  and  De 
Reriot,  Reverie  by  Vleuxtemps,  Elegie  by  Ernst^  and  the 
William  Tell  Duo  by  De  Beriot. 

These  were  the  mos-t  popular  pieces  of  the  day. 
They  all  belong  to  the  transcription  or  f'antasie  style. 
Enormously  difficult  and  well  calculated  to  please  the 
fancy  and  amuse  the  ear,  they  give  a  hint  of  Madam 
Urso's  ability  at  that  time  and  show  just  about  how 
far  American  culture  had  risen.  It  is  interesting  to 
notice  them  as  we  shall  see  how  rapid  and  how  great 
have  been  the  changes  in  violin  music  in  the  last  ten 
years  that  are  included  in  this  part  of  the  story  of  a 
musical  life. 

In  June  she  made  a  short  tour  through  the  Provinces 
and  then  returned  to  New  York  and  spent  the  Summer 
quietly  among  friends  and  in  practice  upon  her  violin. 

Nothing  satisfied  her  in  music.  The  true  artist  never 
is  satisfied,  but  is  ever  urged  onward  by  a  noble  discon- 
tent. The.  qoncert  pieces  demanded  by  the  public, 
were  not  to  her  taste.  She  could  do  better  work. 
She  knew  and  played  finer  works  than  these.  The 
people  would  not  listen  to  them.  She  would  wait. 
In  time  they  would  grow  up  to  something  better.  In 
all  this  she  was  ever  urged  on  higher  and  higher,  try- 
ing new  feats  of  technical  skill,  drawing  forth  even  finer 


A   TALE   OF   A  VIOLIN.  101 

tones  and  continually  advancing  towards  the  higher 
standard  of  excellence  she  had  set  for  herself.  In  all 
this  she  met  with  obstacles  and  difficulties.  She  could 
not  have  instruction  from  others.  There  were  none  in 
the  country  who  could  teach  her  anything  and  her  con- 
certs broke  in  upon  her  time  seriously.  She  was  study- 
ing for  public  appearance  and  appearing  in  public  at 
the  same  time. 

On  the  opening  of  the  musical  season  in  the  fall  of 
1863  Madam  Urso  was  engaged  by  Mr.  P.  S.  Gilmore 
to  play  at  his  concerts  in  Boston.  The  summer  of  ap- 
parent idleness  had  been  well  spent.  Her  study  and 
practice  bore  splendid  fruit  and  her  genius  bloomed  out 
into  new  and  wonderful  music  that  seemed  to  exhale  a 
perfume  as  ethereal  and  delicate  as  it  was  peculiar  and 
original.  The  woman's  hand  and  heart  lived  in  the 
music.  To  all  the  brilliancy  and  technical  skill  of  a 
man  she  added  a  feminine  lightness  of  touch,  that  in 
airy  lightness,  and  grace,  melting  tenderness  and  sweet- 
ness is  past  description.  Her  violin  now  seemed  to 
breathe  and  sigh.  The  tears  would  come  to  the 
listener's  eyes  he  knew  not  why.  The  tears  were  in 
the  tones.  The  sorrow  of  her  life  exhaled  in  chastened 
sweetness  from  the  strings.  Her  heart  ran  out  on  her 
finger  tips  and  lived  in  her  music. 

It  is  not  surprising  that  at  one  of  these  concerts  the 
musicians  of  Boston  should  have  united  in  presenting  a 
testimonial  of  respect  and  admiration  and  personal  re- 
gard to  her  as  an  artist  and  a  woman.  The  letter  was 


102  CAMILLA ; 

signed  by  the  musical  people  of  note  resident  in  Boston 
and  was  accompanied  by  a  handsome  gold  watch. 

However  interesting  the  details  of  these  events  may 
seem  it  is  impossible  to  dwell  upon  them  all.  We  must 
take  the  more  salient  points  in  Madam  Urso's  artist 
life,  choosing. such  events  as  best  illustrate  her  charac- 
ter and  best  explain  the  secret  of  her  success  that  we 
may  learn  the  true  artistic  lesson  of  her  life  and  works. 
After  traveling  under  Mr.  Gilmore's  direction  through 
all  the  principal  towns  of  New  Lngland,  Madam  Urso 
left  his  company  and  spent  the  summer  months  in 
traveling  in  her  private  carriage  with  a  small  party  of 
her  own,  and  giving  occasional  concerts  by  the  way. 

She  reached  New  York  late  in  the  fall  and  at  once 
organized  a  new  company,  and  visited  Canada.  This 
trip  was  a  remarkably  successful  one,  and  extended  till 
January,  1865.  She  then  appeared  at  the  Philhar- 
monic concerts  at  New  York  and  Brooklyn,  and  on  re- 
organizing her  company  visited  Northern  and  Central 
New  York.  She  was  at  Syracuse  at  the  time  of  the 
assassination  of  Lincoln  and  moved  by  the  event  com- 
posed an  elegy  for  the  violin  that  was  afterwards  per- 
formed with  great  success  at  Rochester. 

The  early  summer  of  this  year  was  spent  among 
friends  and  in  retirement  and  was  entirely  devoted  to 
incessant  and  long  continued  practice.  Practice  upon 
her  violin  is  the  one  thing  that  is  never  neglected.  If 
it  is  not  reported  on  every  page  it  is  because  it  is  al- 
ways present,  never  forgotten.  This  is  the  one  price 


A   TALE   OF  A  VIOLIN.  103 

every  great  artist  must  pay  for  his  or  her  position. 
What  a  commentary  on  our  American  haste  to  reach 
results  does  Madam  Urso's  life-work  present  ?  She  has 
genius.  Genius  without  labor  is  worse  than  vain. 

In  June  Madam  Urso  sailed  in  the  China  from  Bos- 
ton and  passing  through  London  returned  once  more  to 
France  her  native  land.  Returned  to  live  in  dear  old 
Paris  but  not  in  the  Rue  Lamartine.  The  city  of  her 
childhood  sorrows  and  trials  now  became  the  city  of  her 
triumph.  Her  reputation  both  as  a  wonder-child  and 
an  artist  had  been  almost  wholly  American.  Now  she 
was  to  take  a  bolder  flight  and  win  a  European  reputa- 
tion. The  opinions  of  our  musical  people  were  to  be 
more  than  confirmed  at  Paris. 

Her  first  appearance  in  Paris  was  at  the  invitation  of 
the  Count  of  Niewerkerke,  then  Minister  of  fine  arts. 
The  concert  was  a  private  one  given  at  the  Louvre  be- 
fore a  seclet  audience  of  artists,  authors,  musicians,  offi- 
cers and  members  of  the  government,  diplomatic  corps, 
etc.  Every  one  appeared  in  uniform  or  decorated  with 
medals  or  other  insignia  of  rank,  "and  the  young 
woman  from  America"  whom  nobody  knew,  and  no- 
body ever  heard,  whose  name  even,  was  hardly  known 
quietly  took  a  seat  in  a  corner  as  if  she  was  only  some 
stray  person  who  had  wandered  into  the  grand  assem- 
bly by  some  mistake.  No  little  surprise  was  manifested 
when  the  Count  sought  her  out  and  offered  his  arm 
to  the  young  stranger  to  escort  her  to  the  seat  of  honor. 
Her  violin  case.  It  laid  at  her  feet  on  the  floor.  If  he 


104  CAMILLA ; 

would  kindly  ask  a  servant  to  bring  it  ?  Servant,  in- 
deed! No,  be  would  be  proud  to  carry  it  himself. 
And  he  did  while  the  interest  and  curiosity  was  roused 
to  unusual  excitement,  and  every  one  asked  who  the 
young  American  could  be  that  she  should  receive  such 
attention.  A  prophet  is  always  without  honor  in  his 
own  country,  and  the  poor  flute  player's  daughter  who 
had  struggled  through  their  own  famous  Conservatory 
as  a  child  was  almost  unknown  as  a  young  woman. 
Rumors  of  an  American  reputation  had  invaded  Paris, 
but  who  were  the  Americans  that  they  should  venture 
to  hold  opinions  concerning  Art.  What  did  they  know 
about  music  ?  Nothing,  of  course.  How  could  such  a 
wild,  barbarous  country  know  anything  at  all  ? 

The  violin  was  taken  out  and  with  a  few  strokes  of 
her  bow  the  almost  unknown  young  woman  was  ad- 
mitted to  be  a  peer  among  them  all.  Never  was  an  ar- 
tist received  with  greater  honors  and  distinction.  One 
performance  and  her  reputation  was  established.  They 
suddenly  found  she  was,  as  it  were,  one  of  themselves. 
France  was  her  native  land,  Paris  her  home  and  so  no 
honor  they  could  bestow  upon  her  would  be  too  great. 
Pasdeloup,  the  orchestral  director,  was  present  and 
then  and  there  invited  her  to  play  with  his  famous  or- 
chestra. So  it  was  that  the  doors  of  fashionable  and 
artistic  Europe  were  thrown  open  at  one  wave  of  the 
magic  bow.  Our  artist  played  the  great  Concerto  in  E 
by  Mendelssohn  with  Pasdeloup's  magnificent  orchestra 
at  the  hall  of  the  Conservatory  and  won  a  splendid 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  105 

triumph  on  the  very  spot  where  in  the  days  of  her 
poverty-tinted  childhood  she  first  drew  her  bow  before 
her  severe  old  masters  who  had  tried  so  hard  to  bar 
the  young  feet  out  of  the  paths  of  art. 

For  a  year  Madam  Urso  remained  in  France  study- 
ing, listening  to  the  best  music  to  be  heard,  mingling 
with  players  of  her  own  artistic  stature  and,  as  it  were, 
renewing  her  musical  youth  by  drinking  deep  at  the 
fountains  that  flow  from  one  of  the  great  art  centres  of 
the  world.  Dear,  sleepy  old  Nantes  was  visited  and  once 
more  she  played  in  the  same  old  place  where  she  first 
drew  her  bow  in  those  almost  forgotten  days  of  her 
childhood.  Not  a  thing  had  changed.  It  seemed  as  if 
even  the  same  cats  sat  on  the  sunny  walls  and  as  if  the 
same  old  women  filled  their  water  jars  at  the  fountains 
and  toiled  up  and  down  the  steep  streets.  There  were 
the  geraniums  in  the  windows  just  as  she  bad  seen  them 
in  her  childhood.  Her  father's  organ  stood  in  the 
dusty  organ  loft  at  the  church  of  the  Holy  Cross,  and 
even  the  same  grey  cobwebs  festooned  the  arches  above 
the  seat  where  she  used  to  sit  and  listen  to  the  music. 
All  her  father's  old  friends  came  to  see  her  and  brought 
their  grandchildren.  The  Town  Hall  would  not  con- 
tain the  hundreds  that  beseiged  the  doors  to  see  the 
Rose  of  Montholon,  the  woman  who  had  made  their 
town  famous. 

Many  places  in  France  were  visited,  and  many  con- 
certs were  given  in  Paris  and  "other  cities.  It  was  a 
life  of  success,  honors  and  happiness.  More  than  all, 


106  C AMILL A  ; 

it  was  home.  For  all  that,  another  home  claimed  her, 
she  must  return  to  her  adopted  home,  and  in  Septem- 
ber 1866,  Madam  Urso  returned  to  this  country  with 
renewed  musical  strength,  increased  ability  and  her 
talents  brought  to  even  higher  culture  than  ever. 

Every  life  has  its  dull  spots — its  period  of  unevenly 
ful  living.  Even  public  life  with  its  exciting  experi- 
ences, perpetual  change  and  scenes,  its  endless  process- 
ion of  new  faces  may  in  time  become  monotonous. 
The  artist  life  of  Camilla  Urso  has  been  active  and  va- 
ried to  a  remarkable  degree,  but  to  repeat  the  details 
of  such  a  succession  of  concert  tours  would  be  simply 
wearisome.  Events  are  of  small  consequence  except 
as  illustrative  of  character  and  we  must  only  select 
such  as  serve  to  show  the  woman  and  the  artist  in 
her  true  character.  On  returning  from  Europe  Madam 
Urso  at  once  resumed  her  concerts  and  appeared  in 
New  York  and  others  cities.  In  January,  1867,  she 
was  engaged  to  play  the  Mendelssohn  Concerto  at  one 
of  the  concerts  of  the  Harvard  Musical  Association  in 
Boston,  and  in  order  to  be  present  in  good  season  for 
rehearsal  started  two  days  before  from  New  York  by 
the  way  of  Springfield.  On  the  road  she  encountered 
a  severe  snow  storm  and  was  blockaded  thirty-six 
hours  between  Worcester  and  Boston.  Determined 
to  keep  her  engagement  with  the  Harvards  she  pushed 
on  as  long  as  the  train  would  move.  Again  and  again 
they  were  stopped,  in  gigantic  drifts  that  came  up 
to  the  tops  of  the  cars.  The  train  people  resolutely 


A  TALE  OF   A  VIOLIN.  107 

shoveled  their  way  through  and  pushed  on  again" 
The  day  of  the  concert  came  and  still  they  were 
twenty  miles  or  more  from  Boston.  The  fires  gave  out 
and  not  a  thing  could  be  obtained  to  eat  or  drink. 
Still  she  would  not  give  it  up.  Perhaps  the  train 
would  yet  reach  the  city  in  time  for  the  concert.  Fi- 
nally the  city  came  in  sight.  The  wind  had  blown  the 
the  snow  away  from  the  track  on  the  marshes  behind 
the  city  and  the  last  mile  was  made  in  good  time  and 
then  the  train  plunged  into  another  drift  just  beyond 
the  junction  of  the  Providence  Railroad  and  where  the 
Dartmouth  street  bridge  now  stands.  It  only  lacked 
60  minutes  of  the  concert  hour.  She  would  leave  the 
care  and  walk  into  the  city.  Perhaps  she  might  be  in 
time  yet.  One  of  the  gentlemen  of  the  party  took  her 
violin  case  and  they  set  out  to  reach  the  houses  on 
Boylston  street  that  were  in  plain  sight  not  twenty  rods 
away.  It  was  a  desperate  undertaking  but  she  resolved 
to  try  it.  She  must  get  to  the  Music  Hall  if  possible. 
The  snow  might  be  overcome  but  she  had  not  reckoned 
on  the  temperature,  and  before  she  had  gone  twenty 
yards  down  the  track  she  found  her  hands  were  rapidly 
freezing  and  she  seemed  ready  to  faint  and  fall  in  the 
terrible  cold.  The  gentlemen  at  once  took  her  up  and 
after  a  tremendous  effort  succeeded  in  carrying  her  as 
far  as  the  signal  house.  She  must  get  into  shelter  or  per- 
ish almost  in  our  streets.  The  burly  signal  man  saw 
the  party  and  opened  the  door  of  his  round  house  and 
took  them  in.  Madam  Urso's  hands  were  stiff  and 


108  CAMILLA; 

bloodless  and  in  their  fright  her  friends  thought  they 
were  forever  lost.  Even  Madam  Urso's  strong,  brave 
spirit  was  utterly  broken  down  over  the  appalling  dis- 
aster. Of  what  use  was  her  life  if  the  cunning  of  her 
fingers  was  to  be  thus  rudely  destroyed.  It  is  small 
wonder  that  the  disaster  almost  crushed  her  and 
brought  the  bitterest  tears  to  her  eyes.  The  grimy 
signal  man  took  in  the  situation  at  once  and  resorted 
to  measures  that  were  at  once  as  effectual  as  they  were 
grotesque  and  amusing.  Kneeling  down  on  the  floor 
and  taking  off  his  cap  he  bid  the  gentlemen  rub  her 
hands  in  his  tangled  and  matted  hair.  It  was  a  most 
ludicrous  remedy  but  it  worked  to  a  charm.  The  gen- 
tle heat  brought  the  blood  slowly  back  and  after  half 
an  hour's  rubbing  on  the  man's  big  head  she  entirely 
recovered. 

"  Thet's  the  way  we  always  does,  mum.  Many's  the 
poor  brakeman's  fingers  I've  saved  by  rubbin  'em  in 
some  one's  thick  head  o'  hair." 

"Whatever  the  philosophy  of  this  wonderful  method 
of  treatment,  Madam  Urso  can  give  her  testimony  to  its 
perfect  success,  and  within  an  hour  she  was  so  far  re- 
covered that  she  could  laugh  as  heartily  as- any  over  the 
adventure.  The  concert  hour  had  come  and  gone 
while  the  party  were  sheltered  in  the  signal  house  on 
the  Back  Bay  and  there  was  no  help  for  it.  She  had 
done  her  best  and  even  risked  her  life  to  fulfill  her 
engagement.  There  was  nothing  more  to  be  done  ex- 
cept to  reach  the  city  in  safety.  The  signal  m:vn 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  109 

helped  the  party  over  the  tracks  and  up  the  banks 
and  they  set  out  once  more  for  Boylston  Street.  After 
a  severe  struggle  the  party  reached  the  first  house  but 
as  the  cold  was  intense  they  decided  to  get  under  shel- 
ter as  qu'ckly  as  possible  and  at  once  rang  the  bell.  A 
woman  put  a  frightened  face  out  the  door  and  gave  one 
look  at  the  sorry  looking  party  and  slammed  the  door 
in  their  faces.  They  at  once  rang  the  next  bell  but 
here  the  people  wouldn't  even  open  the  door  though 
they  slyly  peeped  out  the  window  at  the  forlorn  look- 
ing party  on  the  steps.  Madam  Urso's  hands  were 
again  growing  intensely  cold  in  t-pite  of  the  fur  gloves 
she  had  accepted  from  one  of  the  gentlemen ;  and  his 
own  hands  were  bare.  They  must  get  in  somewhere 
or  perish  in  the  storm.  The  next  house  opened  to 
them  at  once,  and  in  spite  of  their  rather  battered 
looks  they  were  welcomed  and  offered  the  best  the  house 
contained.  The  bath-room,  chambers  and  dining  hall 
were  free  to  them  and  it  seemed  as  if  the  daughters  of 
the  house  could  not  do  enough  to  minister  to  the  wants 
of  the  unhappy  party.  The  discovery  of  whom  they 
entertained  only  added  to  the  warmth  of  the  reception 
and  finally  a  sleigh  was  found  and  just  at  night  fall 
Madam  Urso  was  once  more  with  friends.  Singular  as 
it  may  seem,  she  has  not  found  out  to  this  day  who  so 
kintlly  opened  their  house  to  her  in  her  distress.  In 
the  stotm  ;  nd  excitement  of  the  occasion  the  number 
of  the  house  wap  forgotten  and  there  was  no  name  on 
tee  door.  The  family  did  not  give  their  name  and  if 


110  CAMILLA  ; 

it  should  so  happen  that  they  read  this,  they  may  know 
how  pleasantly  Madam  Urso  cherishes  the  memory  of 
their  kindness. 

Carl  Rosa  who  was  then  in  Boston  took  Madam  Ur- 
so's  place  at  the  Harvard  Concert,  and  on  the  next 
morning  Mr.  Dwight  the  Treasurer  called  and  paid  her 
the  usual  honorarium,  just  as  if  she  had  been  present. 
Madam  Urso  remained  in  Boston  and  appeared  at  the 
next  concert  as  she  makes  it  a  rule  always  to  fulfill 
every  engagemet  tno  the  letter,  whatever  may  be  the 
expense  and  inconvenience  it  may  cause  her. 

Immediately  after  the  little  adventure  in  Boston, 
just  mentioned,  Madam  Urso  was  engaged  by  Mr. 
P.  S.  Gilmore  to  travel  through  the  New  England 
States.  This  tour  was  a  very  successful  one  and  at 
its  close  she  spent  the  Summer  quietly  at  Saratoga 
and  Long  Branch.  The  season  of  1867  and  1868 
was  an  exceedingly  busy  one  and  engagements  were 
made  in  all  parts  of  the  country  with  uniform  success. 
In  the  Spring  she  found  the  labor  and  travel  were  tell- 
ing upon  her  health,  and  in  June  she  sailed  once  more 
for  Europe  where  she  spent  three  months  in  Boiogne 
and  Paris,  in  retirement.  Though  not  giving  concerts 
she  practiced  as  steadily  and  earnestly  as  her  health 
would  permit.  The  quiet  sea-shore  life  at  Boiogne,  the 
drives  on  the  beach  and  the  charming  social  life  rested 
her  fully  and  in  September  she  was  once  more  ready  to 
resume  her  profession  in  this  country.  To  report  it  all 
is  quite  beyond  our  limits.  Engagements  to  play 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  Ill 

crowded  upon  her  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  and 
every  concert  seemed  to  be  more  successful  than  the 
last.  One  given  as  a  complementary  testimonial  to 
Madam  Urso  by  the  musicians  of  Boston,  in  January 
1869,  brought  out  all  her  friends  and  packed  the  Music 
Hall  with  an  audience  such  as"  it  never  saw  before. 
About  the  same  time  she  was  elected  an  honorary  life 
member  of  the  Philharmonic  Society  of  Philadelphia. 
This  Summer,  like  the  last,  was  passed  in  Bologne  and 
Paris  and  was  wholly  devoted  to  study  and  practice, 
with  some  recreation. 


112  CAMILLA 


CHAPTER   11. 

THE    SILVER   BRICK. 

On  the  24th  of  September  (1869)  *Madam  Ur«o 
started  from  Pari-  for  a  new  and  untried  field.  Stop- 
ping one  week  only  in  New  York  she  pushed  on 
towards  the  Pacific  and  landed  in  San  Francisco  on 
the  22il  of  October.  Only  four  weeks  from  Paris  to 
San  Francisco  including  six  days  in  New  York.  This 
will  illustrate  her  power  of  physical  endurance,  and 
the  experience  that  followed  this  rapid  journey  will 
serve  to  show  her  business  capacity,  her  executive  tal- 
ents, and  her  indomitable  energy.  The  seven  months 
parsed  in  California  make  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
episodes  of  her  life  and  it  must  bd  examined  in  some 
detail. 

The  party  took  rooms  at  the  Occidental  Hotel  and 
the  very  first  evening  Madam  Urso  was  honored  by  a 
serenade,  though  no  announcement  of  her  arrival  had 
been  made.  Certainly,  the  musical  people  of  the  Pa- 
cific Slope  were  eager  to  welcome  her.  It  seemed  so, 
for  on  announcing  a  concert  at  Platt  Hall,  there  was  a 


A   TALE   OF   A   VIOLIN.  113 

greater  demand  for  tickets  than  had  ever  been  known 
in  that  part  of  the  country  for  any  entertainment  what- 
ever its  character.  Three  more  concerts  were  given 
with  every  available  seat  and  standing  place  occupied, 
and  then  three  sacred  concerts  on  successive  Sunday 
evenings  at  the  California  Theatre,  were  announced. 
All  of  these  concerts  were  of  a  classical  character,  the 
first  of  the  kind  ever  given  in  the  State  and  to  bring 
them  out  properly  the  best  talent  to  be  found  was  en- 
gaged, including  theBrignoli  Opera  Troupe  then  trav- 
eling in  California. 

Never  in  her  experience  had  concert  giving  been 
more  successful  and  profitable  than  here.  It  seemed  as 
if  she  had  captured  all  their  hearts  and  brought  the 
golden  State  to  her  feet  by  one  wave  of  her  violin  bow. 
Deeply  sensible  of  the  feelings  of  respect  and  admira- 
tion entertained  for  her  by  the  people  she  resolved  in 
some  way  to  testify  her  appreciation  and  to  give  mate- 
rial expression  of  her  thanks.  She  looked  about  for 
some  worthy  institution  upon  which  she  could  bestow 
the  benefit  of  a  series  of  concerts,  or  musical  festival. 
After  some  investigation  and  private  correspondence 
Madam  Urso  wrote  the  following  letter  that  was  dated 
at  the  Occidental  Hotel,  San  Francisco,  December  1st 
1869. 

To  the  President  and  Board  of  Directors  of  the 
Mercantile  Library  Association  of  San  Francisco : 

GENTLEMEN:  The  present  embarrassment  of  your 
Society  having  come  to  my  knowledge,  and  wishing  in 


114  CAMILLA  ; 

some  suitable  manner  to  show  my  gratitude  to  the  peo- 
ple of  this  city  for  the  kindness  and  appreciation  I 
have  met  with  during  my  visit,  I  have  thought  of  no 
better  method  to  do  so  than  in  offering  you  the  benefit 
of  a  grand  musical  entertainment  such  as  I  originally 
intended  giving  here,  with  the  sincere  hope  that  it  may 
prove  a  help  towards  relieving  the  Mercantile  Library 
of  its  present  difficulties. 

Should  my  offer  be  accepted,  I  will,  gentlemen,  con- 
secrate all  my  time  during  the  two  months  necessary 
for  its  preparation,  to  make  it  a  grand  success.  I  am 
gentlemen,  Yours  obediently 

CAMILLA  URSO. 

This  generous  offer  was  at  once  accepted  and  with- 
ofat  delay  the  officers  of  the  Association,  the  «ity  gov- 
ernment, and  in  fact,  the  whole  community  united  with 
her  to  make  the  proposed  festival  one  of  the  great 
musical  events  of  the  Pacific  Slope.  Boston  had  given 
its  musical  festival,  why  not  San  Francisco  ?  There,  it 
had  been  comparatively  easy.  Here,  it  was  an  under- 
taking almost  too  vast  and  difficult  for  comprehension. 
There  was  not  a  choral  society  in  the  State.  If  there 
were  a  few  choirs  of  male  voices  they  had  never  sung 
together  and  though  there  were  many  individual  sing- 
ers and  performers  in  different  parts  of  the  State  they 
had  never  been  brought  together.  A  hall  must  be  pre- 
pared, the  orchestra,  drilled,  the  music  for  the  chorus 
selected  and  printed,  and  the  whole  festival  lasting 
three  days  be  planned,  laid  out,  and  carried  into  effect. 

Never  before  has  a  single  woman  been  so  made  a 
queen  over  an  army  of  men,  women  and  children. 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  115 

^ne  moment  the  event  was  announced  the  Occidental 
Hotel  was  beseiged  by  editors,  musicians,  officials,  con- 
tractors, carpenters,  decorators,  chorus  masters  and  a 
hundred  others  who  thought  they  might  be  of  use 
in  some  way.  Madam  Urso  held  high  state  in  her 
rooms  and  heard  each  one  in  turn,  gave  him  her  com- 
mands, and  bid  him"  move  on  to  his  appointed  work. 
The  Mechanics'  Pavillion,  a  huge  wooden  structure 
erected  for  the  Mechanics'  Institute  Fair  in  1868,  was 
still  standing.  Orders  to  take  it  down  had  been  given, 
but  at  her  request  they  were  revoked  and  a  host  of  car- 
penters swarmed  into  the  building  and  began  to  re- 
model it  for  the  great  Festival.  Railroads,  Hotels,  and 
Telegraph  companies  were  ready  to  obey  her  every  wish 
in  regard  to  the  reception  of  the  great  company  to  be 
assembled.  The  State  arsenal  opened  at  her  command 
and  a  whole  park  of  artillery  was  ready  to  speak  at  the 
wave  of  her  baton.  An  organ  was  built  to  order,  and 
a  drum  more  portentious  than  the  Gilmore  affair  waa 
manufactured.  The  firemen  met  to  pound  the  anvils 
in  the  "  anvil  chorus  "  and  Camilla  herself  drilled  them 
in  the  work.  And  at  the  head  of  it  all  was  the  one 
woman,  mistress  of  the  whole  kingdom,  and  with  the 
resources  of  a  State  at  command.  As  if  this  was  not 
enough  she  personally  assumed  the  entire  expense  and 
was  responsible  for  the  whole  vast  sum  of  thousands 
and  thousands  of  dollars  that  the  festival  involved. 
Had  it  been  a  failure  the  Mercantile  Association  would 
not  have  lost  a  dollar.  Every  bill  was  in  her  own 


116  CAMILLA ; 

name,  be  it  for  organ,  contractors,  printing  music  books 
or  agents'  fares  by  rail  or  boat. 

The  event  exceeded  expectation  and  was  one  of  the 
most  marked  musical  successes  ever  recorded.  On 
Washington's  birth-day,  February  22d,  1870,  ten  thou- 
sand people  filled  the  Mechanics'  Pavilion  to  listen 
to  Camilla  Urso's  concert.  A  chorus  of  twelve  hun- 
dred composed  the  choir,  and  an  orchestra  of  two  hun- 
dred good  musicians  furnished  the  accompaniment  for 
the  choral  members. 

The  programme  was  popular  in  its  character  and 
each  piece  was  given  with  unexpected  effect.  The 
concert  was  opened  at  half  past  two  by  the  perform- 
ance of  Von  Weber's  Jubilee  Overture  by  the  orches- 
tra under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Harold,  the  conductor 
of  the  festival.  This  was  followed  by  a  chorus  for  men's 
voices  by  the  united  singing  societies  of  the  State. 
Next  the  orchestra  and  military  bands  gave  a  selection 
of  national  airs  and  at  the  end  the  chorus  and  the  entire 
audience  rose  and  sang  "  My  country  't  is  of  Thee." 
The  chorus,  organ  and  orchestra  then  united  to  give  the 
chorus  "Night  shades  no  longer,"  from  Moses  in  Egypt, 
which  was  given  in  a  skillful  and  effective  manner.  A 
chorus  of  men's  voices  from  "  Eurianthe "  with  horn 
obligate  was  next  performed  and  then  came  the  Anvil 
Chorus,  with  chorus,  bands,  orchestra,  organ,  battery 
and  all  the  bells  in  the  city  united  for  accompaniment. 

It  was  an  event  in  its  way  and  the  irrepressible  en- 
thusiasm peculiar  to  the  Californians  found  vent  in 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  117 

cheers  and  the  waving  of  hats,  handkerchiefs  and  what- 
ever was  in  hand.  Certainly  Madam  Urso  had  never 
in  her  whole  experience  seen  such  enthusiasm  and  she 
may  have  well  wondered  if  it  was  not  all  some  strange, 
fantastic  dream.  The  band  gave  a  selection  from 
"Tannhauser"  and  then  the  concert  closed  with  the 
"Star  Spangled  Banner"  given  with  cannon,  big  drum, 
church  bells,  organ  and  great  chorus. 

The  concert  on  the  second  day  was  honored  with  an 
audience  of  fifteen  thousand  persons,  the  largest  assem- 
bly that  had  ever  met  in  California.  The  programme 
began  with  the  overture  to  "Ali  Baba"  which  was  fol- 
lowed by  the  "Gloria,"  from  Mozart's  Twelfth  Mass. 
Then  the  orchestra  gave  two  movements  from  the  sym- 
phony in  C,  by  Gade.  "Sleepers  wake,"  from  St.  Paul, 
and  the  "Prayer,"  from  "Moses  in  Egypt,"  were  next 
given  in  such  a  superior  manner  by  the  chorus,  that 
the  last  number  won  an  encore. 

At  this  point  Madam  Urso  appeared  and  met  with 
a  reception  that  for  wild  enthusiasm  and  fervor  has 
probably  never  been  exceeded  by  any  concert  audi- 
ence. The  very  proper  coldness  and  passiveness  of 
Eastern  audiences  finds  small  favor  beyond  the  moun- 
tains. The  fifteen  thousand  people  met  under  that 
roof  tendered  her  an  ovation  the  like  of  which  has 
probably  never  been  given  to  any  artist  in  the  world. 
Respect  and  love  for  the  woman  who  had  done  so  much 
for  them,  admiration  for  her  genius,  and  gratitude  for 


118  CAMILLA ; 

her  splendid  efforts  in  behalf  of  the  Mercantile  Associ- 
ation roused  the  people  to  a  pitch  of  excitement  almost 
past  belief.  For  a  few  moments  it  seemed  as  if  they 
would  never  cease  cheering,  nor  stop  piling  the  moun- 
tains of  flowers  at  her  feet. 

Then  she  took  her  violin  and  played  for  them,  giving 
the  Beethoven  Concerto.  The  building  was  too  vast 
for  all  to  hear  her  instrument  but  they  listened  in 
eager  silence  and  at  the  close  there  was  another  tem- 
pest of  applause  and  showers  of  flowers  till  the  stage 
about  her  was  literally  "knee  deep  in  fragrance."  She 
was  twice  called  ouj^  after  the  performance,  but  the  ex- 
citement and  fatigue  were  too  much  for  her  and 
she  declined  to  play  again. 

The  chorus — "The  Heavens  are  Telling,"  the  over- 
ture to  "Der  Freyschutz,"  the  Anvil  Chorus,  and  the 
"Hallelujah"  chorus,  from  the  Messiah  concluded  the 
entertainment  and  the  vast  audience  quietly  dispersed. 

The  third  day  of  the  Festival  was  perhaps  the  most 
remarkable  of  all.  The  chorus  on  this  day  consisted 
of  twp  thousand  public  school  children,  under  the 
musical  direction  of  Mr.  Elliot,  of  San  Francisco.  The 
programme  consisted  of  orchestral  selections  and  cho- 
ruses from  the  song  books  used  in  the  public  schools, 
sung  by  the  children.  The  Hall  was  packed  to  its  ut- 
most limits  and  the  concert  was  a  perfect  success,  both 
in  the  high  character  of  the  music  given,  and  the  ex- 
cellent manner  with  which  it  was  rendered.  We  have 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  119 

Madam  Urso's  testimony  that  the  singing  of  the  child- 
ren was  fully  equal  to  the  singing  heard  in  the  schools 
of  Boston  and  other  Eastern  cities.  Madam  Urso 
played  a  selection  of  popular  airs,  including  "  Home, 
Sweet  Home,"  and  the  national  melodies,  to  the  great 
delight  of  the  young  chorus,  and  the  immense  audi- 
ence assembled  to  hear  them.  This  children's  con- 
cert was  very  successful  and  to  gratify  the  great  num- 
ber of  people  who  wished  to  attend  it  was  repeated  on 
the  following  Saturday. 

On  Thursday  evening  the  seats  were  removed  from 
the  Pavilion  and  a  grand  ball  was  given  in  compliment 
to  Madam  Urso.  The  next  day,  Friday,  the  chorus 
and  the  orchestra  volunteered  and  gave  her  a  benefit 
concert.  Like  the  other  concerts  of  the  Festival  it  was 
a  great  success,  and  gave  fifteen  thousand  people  an 
opportunity  to  listen  to  her  playing,  and  to  testify  to 
their  admiration  of  her  work  in  their  behalf.  With 
the  children's  concert  on  Saturday  afternoon  the  Festi- 
vale  week  was  brought  to  a  successful  close.  There 
was  not  an  accident  to  mar  the  pleasure  of  the  occasion 
and  the  cause  of  music  in  California  received  an  im- 
pulse that  may  be  felt  to  this  day.  The  Mercantile 
Library  received  a  gift  of  &2 7,000  as  the  result  after 
every  bill  had  been  paid  and  everything  promptly  and 
thoroughly  cleared  up. 

In  looking  at  this  singular  episode  in  the  life  of 
Madam  Urso  we  hardly  know  which  to  admire  the 
most,  the  business  skill  and  energy  that  carried  it 


120  CAMILLA  ; 

through  to  a  financial  success,  the  womanly  qualities 
that  could  win  and  hold  the  willing  services  of  so  many 
people  in  every  walk  of  life  or  the  artistic  culture  and 
insight  that  arranged  the  programme  so  as  to  at  once 
please  and  instruct.  The  concerts  were  not  too  classi- 
cal to  drive  the  people  away  nor  were  they  wholly  pop- 
ular. In  all  Madam  Urso's  art  life  it  has  always  been 
her  aim  to  lift  up  and  instruct  her  hearers.  First  allure 
the  people  with  simple  music  that  they  can  understand 
and  then  give  them  something  from  the  masters,  some- 
thing a  little  above  their  comprehension;  a  taste  of 
classical  music.  They  would  receive  a  little  of  the 
pure  and  true  art  and  in  time  they  would  learn  to  ask 
for  nothing  else.  If  she  gave  them  nothing  but  high 
art  they  would  be  repelled  and  would  not  listen  to  any 
art  at  all.  The  concerto  in  California  and  those  of  the 
festival  were  arranged  on  this  plan,  and  she  remained 
on  the  Pacific  coast  long  enough  to  see  the  wisdom  of 
her  method  and  to  find  that  the  people  came  to  hear  her 
gladly  when  she  preached  the  gospel  of  true  and  high 
art.  She  has  ever  pursued  this  high  aim  and  has  lived 
to  see  a  remarkable  change  come  over  the  American 
people  in  their  love  of  music.  Of  this  more  farther  on. 
Soon  after  the  festival  Madam  Urso  made  an  exten- 
sive concert  tour  through  the  interior  towns  of  California 
and  everywhere  met  with  a  most  flattering  reception. 
The  musical  societies  that  had  sprung  into  existence  at 
her  command  to  assist  in  the  festival  turned  out  to  wel- 
come her  in  every  town,  the  general  interest  in  music 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  121 

that  the  event  had  awakened  throughout  the  State 
seemed  to  have  spread  to  most  remote  and  out  of  the 
way  corners  among  the  mountains,  and  every  town 
seemed  to  try  to  out-do  the  rest  in  showing  her  atten- 
tion and  in  crowding  her  concerts.  At  Virginia  City 
the  choral  Society  gave  her  a  reception  and  elected  her 
an  honorary  member  of  their  association.  Each  mem- 
ber was  expected  to  wear  a  badge  of  a  miniature  silver 
brick.  They  presented  her  with  a  real  silver  brick, 
(life  size)  and  as  it  was  too  heavy  to  wear  or  even  lift 
from  the  floor,  they  presented  two  bricks  of  smaller 
size,  in  the  shape  of  ear  rings.  Certainly  it  was  a  most 
extraordinary  present,  in  admirable  keeping  with  the 
place  and  the  people. 

After  visiting  all  the  principal  places  of  interest 
among  the  mountains  and  having  a  most  delightful  and 
interesting  journey,  Madam  Urso  returned  to  San 
Francisco  in  May.  Here  she  gave  a  few  concerts  and 
on  the  16th  of  the  month  started  once  more  for  Paris 
and  taking  with  her,  the  famous  silver  brick,  a  most 
beautiful  diamond  pendant,  and  gold  chain,  a  gift  from 
San  Francisco  friends,  the  respect  and  good  wishes  of 
thousands  of  people  whom  she  had  charmed  with  her 
music  and  her  warm  heart,  and  $22,000  in  gold  as  the 
net  result  of  her  visit. 

On  the  18th  of  the  following  month  she  was  once 
more  in  the  quiet  of  her  own  home  in  Paris. 

It  is  not  a  matter  of  surprise  to  find  that  after 
Madam  Urso's  seven  months'  experience  in  California 


122  CAMILLA ; 

there  came  a  severe  physical  reaction.  The  labor  and 
anxiety  of  the  trip  were  tremendous,  and  even  her 
iron  constitution  gave  way,  and  she  broke  down  ut- 
terly the  moment  the  excitement  of  her  journey  to 
Paris  was  over.  For  three  months  she  was  confined  to 
her  room  with  brain  fever,  and  only  left  it  when  she 
was  driven  out  of  the  city  by  the  events  of  the  Franco- 
Prussian  war.  She  was  hastily  removed  from  her 
house  on  a  stretcher,  on  the  15th  of  September,  and 
took  one  of  the  last  trains  that  left  the  city  before  the 
siege,  and  was  carried  on  her  bed  to  Boulogne.  The 
change  was  a  fortunate  one ;  the  sea  air  brought  a  fa- 
vorable change  in  her  illness,  and  her  health  was  re- 
stored. In  October  she  was  sufficiently  recovered  to 
bear  the  journey  to  England,  and  she  took  up  her  res- 
idence in  London. 

The  winter  of  1870  and  '71  was  passed  in  private 
life,  but  not  by  any  means  in  idleness.  It  seemed  as  if 
she  had  now  won  a  position  in  which  she  could  com- 
mand her  time  for  study  and  practice.  This  great 
artist,  who  had  commanded  the  plaudits  of  two  conti- 
nents, quietly  gave  herself  up  to  renewed  study,  to 
more  faithful  practice,  and  to  still  greater  efforts  to- 
wards perfection  in  her  art.  In  London  she  could 
hear  the  greatest  players  in  the  world.  The  finest 
and  most  scholarly  programmes  were  to  be  heard  every 
week.  She  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  hear  the  best 
music,  study  the  styles  of  the  masters,  catch  the 
splendid  inspiration  of  their  works,  and  to  transfer  to 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN".  123 

her  own  heart  and  hand  whatever  of  the  great  and 
fine  in  music  they  had  to  offer  to  her.  It  was  a  winter 
of  hard  work  upon  her  violin,  and  a  season  of  peace 
and  rest  from  the  dreadful  wear  and  tear  of  public 
artist  life,  and  its  fruits  may  to-day  be  seen  in  the  em- 
inence she  has  attained  in  the  very  highest  walks  of 
violin  music.  The  classical  concerts  that  she  gave  in 
Boston  three  years  later  testify  to  the  conscientious 
labor  that  was  bestowed  upon  her  instrument  during 
this  quiet  winter  in  London. 

Here  do  we  see  the  true  artist-soul.  We  here  catch 
the  earnest  meaning  of  Camilla  Urso's  life — the  intense 
love  of  music,  the  devotion  to  its  highest  aims,  the 
eagerness  to  work,  to  study  and  to  learn  all  that  is  best 
and  true.  Genius,  indeed,  shines  in  her  music,  but 
without  these  years  of  honest  work  the  genius  would 
only  be  a  delusion  and  a  mockery.  With  work  it 
becomes  almost  divine. 

In  June  of  1871,  Madam  Urso  returned  to  Paris  and 
spent  the  summer  there  in  comparative  retirement. 
She  gave  no  public  performances,  but  held  musical 
receptions  at  her  own  house  once  a  week,  that  were 
attended  by  all  the  most  noted  artists  who  lived  in 
Paris  or  visited  the  city  during  that  summer. 

In  the  early  winter,  in  reply  to  a  summons  from 
London,  Madam  Urso  appeared  at  the  Memorial  Con- 
cert to  Mendelssohn,  and  played  his  great  concerto  at 
the  Crystal  Palace,  Sydenham.  This  was  her  first 


124  CAMILLA  ; 

appearance  in  England,  and,  as  we  can  well  under- 
stand, it  immediately  placed  her  in  a  foremost  position 
among  the  artists  of  that  country.  After  giving  a  few 
concerts  in  Paris,  she  again  took  up  her  artist  life,  and 
appeared  at  the  St.  James'  Hall  in  February,  1872. 

These  two  concerts  in  London  and  Sydenham  at 
once  opened  wide  the  door  to  a  new  field  in  which  her 
talents  found  general  recognition  and  constant  employ- 
ment. If  the  California  experience  seemed  like  some 
Eastern  dream,  this  season  in  London  was  like  stepping 
back  into  the  last  century,  when  princes  and  dukeg 
gave  banquets  to  musicians  and  entertained  minstrels 
with  royal  liberality.  Invitations  to  play  before  both 
the  Old  and  New  Philarmonic  Societies,  and  at  many 
other  notable  musical  gatherings  came  to  her  faster 
than  she  could  accept  them.  She  played  for  the  Royal 
Society  of  Musicians,  the  Duke  of  IMinburgh  presiding 
on  the  occasion,  and  she  was  also  asked  by  the  Duke 
of  Edinburgh  to  play  at  Montague  House  at  a  reception 
given  in  his  honor  by  the  Duchess  of  Buccleuch. 
Other  persons  of  distinction  in  London  invited  her, 
and  everywhere  she  charmed  them  all  by  the  grace 
and  beautiful  finish  of  her  playing,  and  by  her  unaf- 
fected and  simple  manners.  Invitations  to  play  at 
private  houses  came  so  fast  that  a  carriage  was  kept  in 
waiting  to  take  her  from  house  to  house,  that  she  might 
appear  and  play  at  several  different  places  the  same 
night. 

To   republican   readers,   this   appearing  at  private 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  125 

houses  for  pay  may  seem  peculiar  and  perhaps  beneath 
the  dignity  of  the  true  artist.  It  is  the  custom  of  the 
country.  Persons  of  wealth  wishing  to  entertain  their 
friends  give  a  musical  evening,  at  which  a  programme 
of  choice  music  is  given  by  artists  hired  for  the  occasion. 
Usually  each  performer  gives  one  piece  and  then 
retires.  He  is  not  expected  to  appear  till  just  before 
his  turn  comes,  and  then  he  briefly  presents  his  respects 
to  the  lady  of  the  house,  plays  his  little  piece  and 
gathers  his  wedding  garments  about  him  and  flies  away 
in  a  Hansom  cab  to  the  next  house,  where  he  does  it 
all  over  again.  Then  he  rattles  through  the  deserted 
streets  at  break-neck  speed  to  be  on  time  at  another 
palatial  mansion,  where  his  piece  appears  near  the  end 
of  the  programme.  The  audiences  hardly  have  time 
to  learn  who  is  playing  or  singing  before  the  bird  has 
flown  and  a  new  one,  just  out  of  his  carriage,  is  ready 
to  sing  and  fly  again.  The  very  much  dressed  audience 
.comes  and  goes  at  each  place,  and  the  music  is  often 
drowned  in  the  clatter  of  half  empty  ^pine-glasses  and 
the  rattle  of  more  empty  heads.  It  is  very  grand,  ex- 
ceedingly tiresome,  and  wonderfully  profitable.  A 
player  or  singer  of  first-class  reputation  who  is  willing 
to  follow  up  a  London  season  in  this  style,  can  win  more 
money  than  by  a  year  of  concert  giving.  Each  house 
pays  for  its  one  piece  of  music,  and  as  many  as  five 
houses  can  be  visited  in  one  evening. 

It  is  a  rather  startling  method  of  procedure,  but  it 
is  the  custom  of  the  country.    Madam  Urso  could  not 


126  CAMILLA  ; 

decline  to  do  as  all  the  other  musicians  did,  however 
much  she  might  stand  on  the  simple  dignity  of  her 
American  name.  She  everywhere  called  herself  an 
American,  and,  as  it  always  happens,  won  the  more 
respect  and  admiration  for  her  independence.  It  is 
always  an  advantage  to  be  known  as  an  American  in 
Europe,  and  Madam  Urso  is  only  too  glad  and  .proud 
to  acknowledge  all  that  she  owes  to  the  country  of  her 
adoption. 

The  English  press  could  here  be  largely  quoted,  to 
give  some  idea  of  the  high  position  Madam  Urso  won 
in  the  musical  world  at  that  great  art  centre.  It  is 
needless  to  give  it,  as  it  is  well  known  that  her  Ameri- 
can reputation,  great  as  it  is,  is  not  equal  to  that  in 
England.  The  English  are  even  more  willing  to  give 
Camilla  Urso  her  honors  due  than  are  we,  and  having 
said  this  we  have  said  enough. 

In  July,  1872,  Madam  Urso  returned  to  Boulogne, 
and  after  a  short  rest  returned  to  New  York,  early 
in  September.  A  concert  tour  through  the  Canadas 
was  at  once  taken,  and  after  a  brief  and  most  success- 
ful trip,  she  returned  to  New  York.  She  afterwards 
made  a  journey  to  New  Orleans,  where  she  assisted  at 
the  opening  of  the  new  Exposition  Hall.  Unfortu- 
nately, Camilla  Urso  was  here  taken  sick  with  the 
chills  and  fever,  and  was  obliged  to  come  North  at 
once.  She  came  to  Boston,  but  lost  much  valuable 
time,  both  from  concerts  and  practice,  by  a  long  illness 
at  the  St.  James  Hotel. 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  127 

We  now  come,  as  it  were,  in  sight  of  the  present 
time.  The  year  1873,  though  it  was  a  disastrous  one 
to  art  interests  generally,  by  reason  of  the  panic,  was 
one  of  uninterrupted  success  for  Madam  Urso.  She 
took  a  brief  rest  during  the  summer  near  New  York, 
but  during  the  remainder  of  the  time  gave  an  un- 
rupted  succession  of  concerts  in  all  the  Northern  States, 
so  that  it  seems  as  il  the  aound  of  her  violin  s*ill  rang 
in  our  ears. 


128  CAMILLA ; 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE   GOSPEL   OF   WORK. 

It  is  now  in  order  to  review  briefly  the  events  of  this 
remarkable  art  life,  and  to  see  what  lessons  it  may 
teach  to  the  musician,  the  student,  and  the  art  lover. 
Whether  we  look  at  the  child,  gazing  in  large-eyed 
wonder  at  the  festival  in  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Cross, 
the  patient  girl,  trudging  day  by  day  through  the  quiet 
streets  of  Nantes  to  take  her  lessons,  the  pale  student 
in  the  conservatory,  the  sober-faced  maiden  who  so  won 
all  our  hearts  so  long  ago  in  Boston,  the  brilliant  young 
woman  who  flashed  out  so  suddenly  into  the  highest 
walks  of  art,  the  great  artist  born  of  a  wonder  child, 
or  the  simple  American  woman,  Camilla  Urso,  in  what- 
ever station  we  view  her,  we  see  the  dignity  and  reward 
of  honest  work.  Everywhere  we  see  the  same  passion- 
ate love  of  music,  the  same  eagerness  to  study,  to  learn 
the  all  there  is  of  it,  and  to  play  with  ever  increas- 
ing skill.  Genius  is  the  great  gift  that  has  been  be- 
stowed upon  her.  She  did  not  hide  it  in  a  napkin, 
but  with  heart  and  soul  she  did  her  best  to  make  it  a 


A  TALE  OF   A  VIOLIN.  129 

good  and  acceptable  gift  to  art  and  humanity.  Whether 
giving  concerts  among  our  prairie  cities,  resting  by  the 
sea-shore  at  Boulogne,  traveling  among  the  mountains 
of  California,  studying  the  great  masters  of  the  violin 
in  London  or  Paris,  or  among  friends  in  Boston,  she  is 
always  practicing  upon  her  beloved  instrument.  It  is 
never  out  of  her  hands  a  day,  unless  ill  or  fatigued  by 
traveling.  Each  month  she  means  shall  show  some 
improvement,  and  from  year  to  year  she  has  gone  on 
till  the  present  standard  of  excellence  has  been  reach- 
ed. To  what  perfection  her  skill  has  been  carried,  we 
shall  leave  others  to  say  at  the  end  of  this  book. 

The  musician,  in  looking  back  over  this  life  of  an 
artist,  naturally  asks  what  changes  she  may  have  seen 
in  the  art  life  of  the  world  during  the  dozen  years  or 
more  she  has  been  before  the  American  public.  We 
purposely  select  the  American  public,  because  it  is  of 
the  most  interest  to  us,  and  because  the  art  life  of 
Europe  is  somewhat  different  from  ours,  and  less  liable 
to  changes.  Madam  Urso's  own  views  upon  the  subject 
are  instructive  and  encouraging,  and  we  present  them 
in  very  nearly  her  own  words.  Taken  as  a  whole,  the 
people  of  this  country  are  somewhat  crude  and  unedu- 
cated in  their  ideas  of  music.  They  certainly  love 
music ;  they  like  music  even  better  than  the  Europeans, 
but  they  do  not  exactly  know  what  they  want.  If, 
when  an  orchestra  or  an  artist  is  visiting  a  Western 
town,  you  ask  a  man  if  he  is  going  to  the  concert,  he 
will  often  say, "  No,  I  have  seen  him  once."  Hearing  the 


130  CAMILLA  ; 

music  given  by  a  splendid  orchestra  does  not  seem  to  be 
thought  of  any  consequence  Having  "seen"  the  or- 
chestra, there  is  no  further  interest  in  it.  On  the  other 
hand,  with  all  their  want  of  education,  the  people  of  this 
country  learn  about  music  faster  than  any  people  she 
ever  saw.  They  are  greatly  interested  in  music,  are  wil- 
ling to  admit  their  ignorance  concerning  it,  are  ex- 
ceedingly eager  to  learn  and  anxious  that  their  chil- 
dren should,  at  least,  study  the  rudiments,  that  they 
may  enjoy  and  understand  it.  They  are  ready  and 
able  to  pay  more  for  music  than  any  nation  in  Europe. 
If  they  think  they  are  really  to  hear  something  that 
pleases  them,  they  will  pack  the  hall  whatever  the 
price.  The  music  that  pleases  them  is  not  always  the 
best,  for  the  simple  reason  they  do  not  know  what  is 
best.  As  fast  as  they  learn  better,  they  drop  whatever 
is  before  them  and  at  once  take  up  something  else. 
The  sudden  disappearance  of  negro  minstrel  music  is 
an  evidence  of  this.  The  people  outgrew  it,  and  it 
passed  away,  as  it  were,  in  a  night. 

In  instrumental  music  there  has  been  a  steady  ad- 
vance from  the  merely  showy  and  technical  to  the 
purely  classical.  Ten  years  since  they  would  crowd 
the  hall  to  hear  the  "  Carnival."  Had  Madam  Urso 
presented  the  Beethoven  Spohr,  or  the  Mendelssohn 
Concertos,  the  people  would  not  have  listened  in  pa- 
'  tience  through  a  single  performance.  If  they  heard  it 
at  all,  it  would  be  under  a  sort  of  silent  protest,  and  the 
next  time  the  piece  was  offered  there  would  be  nobody 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  131 

there.  These  remarks  apply  to  the  country  generally. 
In  some  of  the  older  cities  classical  music  of  a  high 
order  would  have  found  a  certain  proportion  of  listen- 
ers. From  year  to  year,  all  this  has  changed.  By 
introducing  into  the  lightest  and  most  popular  pro- 
grammes some  short  selection  from  the  great  masters  of 
violin  music,  Madam  Urso  has  gradually  taught  her 
audiences  what  they  should  admire,  and,  by  persistent 
and  gentle  urging,  she  has  led  them  to  a  knowledge 
of  the  best  and  highest  in  art.  In  this  Madam  Urso  is 
not  alone.  All  true  artists  do  thus  teach  the  people 
and  try  to  lift  them  up  to  something  higher  and  purer. 
It  is  this  that  makes  the  divine  in  music.  Happily,  our 
people  are  willing  enough  to  be  taught.  The  general 
education,  and  our  freedom  from  precedents  enables  all 
art  to  grow  faster  here  than  anywhere  else.  We  are 
still,  as  a  people,  crude  and  musically  ignorant,  but  we 
are  fast  learning.  The  changes  in  the  character  of 
concert  music  may  be  seen  almost  from  year  to  year; 
the  standard  continually  advances  and,  certainly,  there 
is  everything  to  encourage  and  satisfy  the  most  ardent 
lover  of  music  in  the  country.  While  we  have  such 
artists  as  Madam  Urso  among  us  we  have  much,  to  be 
thankful  for,  and  may  press  on  till  we  reach  the  high 
standard  of  excellence  she  ever  keeps  before  herself 

We  may  here  offer  a  short  sketch  of  Madam  Urso's 
personal  appearance  and  manners,  when  free  from  the 
restraint  of  public  life.  The  ideas  generally  held  con- 


132  CAMILLA  ; 

cerning  her  "personally"  are  somewhat  incorrect,  as 
the  following  will  show : 

****** 

It  was  a  cloudy,  winter's  afternoon,  and  the  place 
seemed  dull  and  gloomy.  The  Boston  Music  Hall  is, 
at  best,  bare  and  vast,  and  by  daylight  is  particularly 
unattractive.  The  great  organ  pipes  appear  cold  and 
lustreless,  and  the  light  tints  on  the  walls  are  not  very- 
comforting.  The  orchestra  of  the  Harvard  Musical 
Association  were  upon  the  stage,  under  the  leadership 
of  Carl  Zerrahn,  and  a  few  privileged  subscribers, 
numbering  a  hundred  or  two,  were  gathered  together 
at  one  side,  as  if  to  keep  each  other  in  countenance. 
Over  such  a  wide  floor  it  takes  a  thousand  or  more  to 
make  a  comfortable  and  social  company. 

The  orchestra  were  at  work  upon  the  Cth  Symphony 
of  Beethoven,  placidly  overcoming  its  difficulties,  stop- 
ping now  and  then  to  polish  up  some  delicate  point, 
and  taking  .things  in  an  easy  and  rather  indifferent 
manner.  In  the  midst  of  it  entered  at  the  side  door  a 
young  woman  in  fur  cape,  skull  cap  of  the  jauntiest 
pattern,  and  some  plain  dark  dress.  The  hackman 
came  behind,  bearing  the  great  brown  leather  violin 
case.  With  a  serene  and  placid  manner  she  mounted 
the  stage,  and  bidding  the  man  place  the  violin  case 
on  the  steps  before  the  organ,  she  quietly  took  off  her 
outer  garments  and  sat  down  on  the  steps.  A  friendly 
nod  and  a  smile  to  Zerrahn  and  then  a  cordial  hand 
shake  to  the  librarian  of  the  Society.  She  had  brought 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  133 

the  orchestral  parts  of  the  concerto  she  was  to  play, 
and  began  to  talk  in  an  animated  manner  about  their 
use.  The  audience  had  no  longer  any  ears  for  the 
symphony,  and  though  it  went  steadily  on,  they  were 
all  eyes  to  see  and  admire  their  favorite  thus  "at  home" 
among  them. 

Having  arranged  everything  to  her  satisfaction,  she 
came  down  into  the  house  and  was  quickly  surrounded 
by  a  group  of  artists  and  others.  For  all  she  had 
a  hearty  hand  shake,  a  smile,  and  words  of  genial  and 
animated  welcome.  No  pretty  miss  in  the  company 
more  admired,  no  merry  talker  more  sought  for  than 
this  unaffected,  simple-minded  woman.  Beating  time 
on  the  back  of  the  seat  with  one  finger,  nodding  to  ac- 
quaintances, speaking  to  all  in  turn,  now  in  French, 
and  now  in  the  best  of  English,  she  sat  the  most  ob- 
served and  admired  of  all  the  goodly  company,  and 
the  most  serene  and  happy. 

Presently  the  symphony  rehearsal  came  to  an  end, 
and,  without  the  slightest  hint  of  affectation,  she  rose 
from  her  seat,  smiled  her  adieus,  and  went  to  the  stage. 
Selecting  a  violin  from  its  blue  satin  wrappings,  she 
threw  a  white  silk  handkerchief  over  her  left  shoulder, 
tuned  her  violin,  and  took  her  place  at  the  front  of  the 
stage  in  the  centre  of  the  orchestra.  Tall  Carl  Zerrahn 
on  his  stand  seems  particularly  giantesque  beside  such 
a  little  lady,  and  he  .pushed  the  platform  on  one  side 
and  stood  upon  the  stage,  to  be  nearer  to  her.  She 
gave  nods  of  recognition  to  members  of  the  orchestra, 


134  CAMILLA; 

shook  bands  with  Zerrahn,  smiled  and  talked  merrily 
with  the.  leading  violin,  and  then  explained  something 
concerning  the  music  to  Zerrahn.  With  her  bow  she 
gave  the  time,  and  the  opening  prelude  began.  She 
adjusted  her  handkerchief  to  her  shoulder,  and  with  a 
light  touch  played  snatches  of  the  orchestral  part,  as  if 
to  give  a  hint  as  to  its  proper  rendering.  Now  comes 
the  solo.  The  accompaniment  is  hushed,  that  not  a 
note  of  the  golden  Mozartian  melody  be  loot.  Of  her 
performance  we  will  not  here  speak  in  detail,  as  it  is 
described  a  page  or  two  further  on.  Our  present  con- 
cern is  with  Madam  Urso  as  a  woman  at  home  in  her 
art,  and  among  friends.  Suddenly,  in  the  midst  of  a 
brilliant  passage,  she  stops,  and  lifting  one  finger  she 
says,  so  that  all  can  hear :  "  F  natural."  The  first 
violins  are  caught  napping,  and  without  a  book,  and 
while  playing  her  own  part,  she  detects  and  corrects  a 
mistake  of  a  semitone  in  the  accompaniment.  There 
is  no  self-assertion  or  parade,  but  only  an  arch  smile 
and  a  merry  shake  of  the  head,  as  if  it  was  a  good  joke 
to  catch  them  thus.  A  hearty  laugh  from  orchestra 
and  audience,  and  then  the  work  is  resumed.  As  the 
piece  returns,  she  nods  and  smiles  her  approval,  and 
the  music  goes  on  again.  At  the  end  of  the  movement 
comes  a  long  cadenza  of  great  difficulty.  She  treats 
it  in  that  masterly  and  effective  manner  that  seems  so 
natural  to  her.  Then  follows  a  liberal  round  of  ap- 
plause from  orchestra  and  spectators.  Next  comes  the 
andante  movement,  the  most  beautiful  of  the  three. 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN".  135 

During  the  brief  interval  between  the  two  she  talks 
merrily  with  one  and  another,  and  when  she  is  ready 
gives  the  time  to  the  conductor.  Zerrahn  wields  the 
baton,  but  Madam  Urso  is  the  real  director.  Her  spirit 
guides  the  music  and  inspires  the  orchestra  with  unu- 
sual animation.  The  rather  listless  manner  in  the 
symphony  is  exchanged  for  painstaking  care  and  at- 
tention. Camilla's  earnestness  and  life  seems  to  inspire 
them  to  greater  effort,  and  their  playing  gains  in  vigor 
and  precision.  "  Not  too  much  fire,  gentlemen."  This 
is  the  slow  movement,  and  she  gently  represses  their 
enthusiasm.  The  feather  like  touch,  the  airy  delicacy 
of  her  own  playing,  spurs  them  on  to  unwonted  care 
and  restraint.  At  the  end  comes  another  long  cadenza, 
that  for  soft,  whispering  tones,  sweetness,  grace,  and 
vanishing  lightness,  is  almost  unequaled.  Her  face 
becomes  serious.  Her  eyes  have  a  far  away  expression, 
dreamy  and  tender,  that  soon  affects  the  music.  The 
magic  violin  sighs  and  breathes  in  melting  tenderness. 
The  melody  floats  upward,  melting  and  fading  away, 
exhaled  into  palpable  silence.  Not  quite,  for  just  as  it 
seems  ready  to  languish  into  nothing,  a  soft,  sweet 
chord  from  the  band  completes  the  cadence  and  brings 
it  to  a  natural  end. 

Shouts  of  "  bravo "  and  loud  applause  greet  this ' 
splendid  effort,  and  she  nods  and  smiles  with  a  pleased 
and  natural  expression.  Still,  she  is  not  satisfied.  The 
band  are  not  sufficiently  delicate  and  light  in  the  treat- 
ment of  the  last  chord  or  two,  and  she  bids  them  try  it 


136  CAMILLA  ; 

again.  Three  times  they  go  over  it,  before  her  exacting 
and  lofty  standard  of  perfection  is  reached. 

Then  comes  the  last  movement.  Vivacious,  ani- 
mated, and  merry,  it  seems  to  suit  her  happy  hearted 
nature,  and  she  fairly  revels  in  its  brilliant  melodies. 
Difficulties  vanish  like  mist  before  the  sun.  It  becomes 
a  delight  to  dash  through  the  sparkling  passages. 
Clear,  clean  cut,  vivid  and  sharp,  like  cut  glass,  the 
music  stands  out  in  bold  characters.  Not  a  note  slighted 
or  blurred.  No  obscurity  or  doubt  about  the  most  in- 
tricate passage.  Curious  little  effects  of  staccato  mingled 
with  the  most  linked  together"  legato.  Bold  flashes 
through  chain  lightning  scales.  Chords  pouring  forth 
in  torrents,  and  then  airy  scraps  of  melody,  as  if  the 
theme  had  broken  up  into  shining  bits,  glistening  drops, 
and  sparkles  of  song. 

An  artist  soul  blooms  before  us.  Her  face  is  rapt, 
and  almost  severe.  In  a  moment  it  is  over,  and  her 
features  break  into  a  pleasant,  natural  smile.  Amid 
the  applause  she  returns  to  the  floor  and  mingles  with 
the  people.  No  affectation,  no  looking  for  praise; 
nothing  but  sweetness  and  friendliness.  No  common- 
place woman,  with  brush  or  needle  in  hand,  could  be 
more  simple  and  winsome,  no  genius  could  be  more 
self-forgetting. 

We  may  now  properly  close  the  chapter,  and  bring 
this  story  of  an  artist  life  up  to  the  present  time  by  a 
brief  sketch  of  a  series  of  classical  concerts  given  by 
Madam  Urso  in  the  Spring  of  1874,  in  Boston.  They 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  137 

were  remarkable  concerts;  both  in  the  character  of 
the  music  given,  and  in  the  crowded  and  appreciative 
audiences  that  attended  them.  As  an  expression  of 
Madam  Urso's  present  ability  as  an  artist,  we  offer  the 
opinion  of  the  Boston  Daily  Advertiser,  our  best  local 
critical  paper,  and,  for  the  present,  bring  this  story  to 
its  logical  end.  May  it  be  many  years  before  it  be- 
comes necessary  to  add  anything  more  to  it,  except  to 
record  her  continued  success  as  an  artift,  and  happiness 
as  a  good  and  true  woman. 

The  Advertiser's  criticism  upon  the  first  concert  of 
the  series  we  present  in  full  for  the  reason  that  it  ex- 
presses the  critic's  opinion  of  Madam  Urso's  general 
character  as  a  musical  artiste,  directress,  and  manager, 
as  well  as  of  her  rank  and  position  as  a  violinist  : 

"The  Horticultural  Hall  was  entirely  filled  last 
evening,  and  Madam  Camilla  Urso  was  welcomed  back 
to  Boston  with  an  enthusiasm  evidently  as  unaffected 
as  it  was  hearty.  The  programme  of  the  concert  was 
singularly  choice,  but  it  was  noticeable  especially  for 
the  contrast  which  it  presented  to  the  bills  of  most  of 
our  virtuosi :  in  three  of  its  numbers  only  did  Madam 
Urso  take  part,  and  those  three  were  a  trio  for  violin, 
piano,  and  violoncello,  a  sonata  for  violin  and  piano, 
and  a  string  quartette.  Disappointment  at  not  hearing 
the  principal  musician  in  a  solo  performance  may  have 
marred  the  pleasure  of  some  of  the  audience ;  and  at 
the  other  concerts  of  the  series  it  is  very  likely  that 
some  provision  may  be  made  for  the  gratification  of 
this  natural  desire.  But  the  entire  arrangement  of  last 
night  seemed  to  us  significant — delightfully  significant 
of  that  noble,  generous,  self-forgetting  spirit  which  has 


138  CAMILLA ; 

always  distinguished  this  remarkable  performer,  and 
•which  is  not  the  least  of  her  titles  to  the  grand  name 
of  artiste.  Here  seems  to  be  as  little  as  pos;.ible  of  vain 
show  of  self;  nothing  at  all  of  that  jealous  littleness 
which  tolerates  no  companions  either  as  composers  or 
interpreters;  the  maximum  of  appreciation  and  rever- 
ence for  the  great  authors,  and  of  devotion  to  the  best 
and  worthiest  in  music.  In  the  concert  of  last  evening 
Madam  Urso  carried  the  higher  principle  so  far  that, 
as  has  been  said,  her  own  name  appeared  alone  nei- 
ther as  author  nor  performer. 

The  three  chief  numbers  of  this  fine  programme 
were  a  trio  in  C-minor,  op.  102,  by  Raff;  a  sonata  in 
F-major,  No.  9,  by  Mozart ;  and  Schubert's  posthumous 
quartette  in  D-minor.  The  Raff  trio  was  new  to  Bos- 
ton. It  is  a  long  and  elaborate  work,  the  absolute 
merit  of  which  is  not  to  be  pronounced  upon  after  a 
single  hearing.  That  it  is  startlingly  brilliant  and 
striking  in  at  least  two  of  its  numbers  i*  plain  at  once, 
however;  and  there  can  be  no  denying  or  doubting  its 
great  vigor  and  originality.  The  scherzo  has  remarkable 
ingenuity  in  its  harmonic  forms  and  instrumental  com- 
binations ;  and  the  andante,  amazing  in  its  melodic 
variety  and  richness,  and  reflecting,  apparently,  many 
moods  of  the  composer's  mind,  yet  produces  a  unity  of 
impression  which  proves  the  presence  of  a  strong  and 
self-poised  genius.  The  Mozart  sonata  for  violin  Und 
piano  is  exceedingly  interesting  in  all  its  three  move- 
ments, light  and  airy  in  its  general  character, — except 
in  the  andante,  which  is  touched  with  pensiveness, — 
and  not  striking  very  far  down  in  its  suggestions,  but 
lull  of  fresh  beauty  and  consummate  in  its  symmetrical 
grace.  In  the  happiest  contrast  with  the  sonata  was 
the  wonderful  D-minor  quartette  of  Schubert.  No 
better  illustration  of  the  marked  divergence  between 
the  modes  of  expression  natural  to  two  master  composers 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  139 

could  have  been  chosen  than  these.  The  invariable 
law  of  Mozart's  genius — in  spite  of,  or  perhaps,  in  aid 
of  its  broad  inclusiveness — is  condensation  or  concise- 
ness; of  Schubert's,  it  is  expansion  and  diffusiveness. 
But  whera  the  genius  is  so  vital  and  inspiring  as  that 
which  shines  in  every  line  of  the  D-minor  quartette, 
the  amplitude  never  degenerates  into  tediousness.  There 
may  be  profusion  in  the  host's  providing,  but  no  surfeit 
in  the  guest's  appetite. 

In  considering  the  quality  of  the  performance  one  is 
tempted  at  first  to  the  natural  remark  that  Madam 
Urso's  power  cannot  be  so  plainly  shown  in  concerted 
as  in  solo  music.  But  in  the  very  utterance,  we  find 
ourselves  hesitating  and  more  than  doubtful.  For 
purely  mechanical  effects  and  for  all  the  immense 
variety  of  mere  instrumental  and  personal  display  the 
solo,  of  course,  offers  unequaled  opportunities.  But, 
after  all,  of  how  little  real  value  and  beauty  are  these 
pyrotechnics  of  the  profession ;  how  shallow  is  the  stream 
of  emotion  which  flows -from  them,  and  how  bjrren,  dry 
and  brief  is  the  pleasure  which  accompanies  their  rec- 
ollection !  If  proofs  were  sought  that  Madam  Camilla 
Urso  retained  her  skill  in  all  its  amazing  perfection  and 
her  genius  in  all  its  vitality  and  inspiration,  they  were 
abundant  indeed  at  the  concert  of  last  evening.  There 
was  the  same  grand  steadiness  and  strength ;  the  same 
absolute  faultlessness  in  purity  of  tone;  the  same  fine 
discrimination  and  delicacy  ;  the  same  minute  clearness 
and  cleanness,  so  that  in  the  most  rapid  and  difficult 
delivery  nothing  was  slurred  or  confused;  the  same  do- 
cile yielding  to  the  spirit  of  the  composer  and  to  the 
demands  of  her  fellow-musicians.  And  more  than  this, 
there  was  ample  room  for  the  exhibition  of  the  expres- 
sive and  sympathetic  power,  which  was  always  the  first 
title  of  Madam  Urso — as  of  every  great  violinist — to 
the  highest  rank  in  her  art.  Her  violin  in  these  fine 


140  CAMILLA  ; 

concerted  pieces  spoke  with  the  same  "  golden  mouth  " 
as  of  old,  commanding,  inspiring,  defying  and  pleading 
by  turns.  And  in  such  music  as  that  of  the  well-nigh 
incomparable  "Tema  con  variazioni"  of  the  Schubert 
quartette,  the  highest  eloquence  of  the  king  of  instru- 
ments is  not  only  permitted  but  demanded." 

Another  view  of  the  professional  and  technical  skill 
of  Madam  Urso  is  given  by  the  critic  of  the  Advertiser 
in  the  following  words : 

"  We  have  said  that  Madam  Urso's  place  as  a  violin- 
ist is  in  the  first  rank  ;  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  add, 
that  among  performers  of  her  own  sex  she  is  unques- 
tionably the  very  first  in  the  world.  It  is,  indeed,  only 
within  a  comparatively  few  years  that  the  claims  of 
women  to  superiority  as  violinists  have  been  treated 
with  anything  better  than  sneers.  And  the  supercilious 
and  intolerant  spirit  which  dictated  such  treatment 
had  at  least  a  much  solider  foundation  than  the  narrow 
conservatism  which  refused  to  admit  women  into  the 
lists  with  poets,  novelists,  sculptors,  and  painters:  for 
power  and  force  are  the  primal  conditions  of  the 
highest  success  as  a  performer  upon  the  violin,  and 
most  women  would  undoubtedly  be  weak  players  as 
compared  with  most  men.  But  the  genius  of  art — 
who,  after  all,  is  one  and  the  same,  whatever  form  the 
art  may  take — is  no  respecter  of  persons ;  nay,  more, 
he  demands  for  his  high  tasks  those  of  every  clime  and 
rank,  and  of  both  sexes.  And  from  each  and  every 
one  he  asks  a  peculiar  service  which  no  other  could 
exactly  render.  And  thus  he  has  assigned  to  Madam 
Urso  her  own  functions  as  an  artiste.  There  is  no  de- 
nying the  remarkable  power  and  breadth  of  her  style, 
which  is  far  in  advance  of  that  exhibited  by  the  majority 
of  the  best  male  performers ; — her  touch  u  at  once  aa 


A  TALE  OF  A  VIOLIN.  141 

firm  as  steel  and  as  soft  as  velvet ;  her  mere  manual 
dexterity  is  extraordinary ;  and  her  intonations  are  as 
faultless  as  the  steadiest  of  hands  and  the  correctest  of 
ears  can  make  them, — witness,  especially,  her  recent 
wonderful  playing  of  cadenzas  at  a  Harvard  Symphony 
Concert.  In  all  of  this  Madam  Urso  may  be  said  to  be 
a  man,  or  the  equal  and  compeer  of  man.  But  in  the 
great  expressive  power  to  which  we  have  often  referred 
as  her  chief  title  to  the  highest  place,  the  soul  of  the 
true  and  earnest  woman  finds  its  own  exclusive  utter- 
ance ;  and  we  get  a  something  of  tenderness,  of 
sweetness,  and  of  subtlety  which  is  pre-eminently  fem- 
inine. The  world  could  not  afford  to  lose  this,  though 
great  performers  were  twenty  times  more  numerous 
than  they  are.  The  age  which  has  produced  a  Dickens 
and  a  "  George  Eliot,"  a  Holman  Hunt  and  a  Rosa 
Bonheur,  a  Story  and  a  Harriet  Hosmer,  must  needs 
have  added  to  the  scroll  upon  which  the  titles  of 
Joachim,  of  Vieuxtemps,  and  of  Ole  Bull  are  inscrib- 
ed, the  name  of 

CAMILLA  URSO." 


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